NHS under unsustainable pressure due to cancelled operations - Randerson comment

3.06.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 28th Aug 2008

The figures show large numbers of cancelled operations

Commenting on new figures unearthed by the Welsh Liberal Democrats this week, which claim that a large proportion of cancelled operations in Wales were down to non-clinical reasons in the 2007/8 financial year, Health Spokeswoman Jenny Randerson had this to say:

"These statistics are of great concern to us here in Wales. With 9,912 operations being cancelled last year alone for these reasons, it is clear that the NHS is coming under intolerable stress."

"Patient care should not be coming second to target setting, this is unacceptable."

Overall last year 33,988 operations were cancelled in total, with cancellations due to non-clinical reasons representing 29.2%.

"Surely the NHS should be able to guarantee a patient an operation without the need to re-schedule. These statistics serve as yet another example of issues in the NHS which need to be resolved."

Notes:

Source : Health of Wales Information Service Website

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