One in seven operations cancelled on the day

ONE in seven operations were cancelled on the day patients were due to go into surgery during a single week, a study has found.

Researchers from University College London and the Royal College of Anaesthetists tracked patients at almost all NHS hospitals over a seven-day period last year. They found 3,700 of 26,000 scheduled operations (14 per cent) were called off on the day they were due to take place. More than a quarter were cancelled because of a lack of beds.

Experts say calling off a procedure at the last minute places a psychological burden on patients and extends their suffering.

NHS England’s own records suggest only 1.4 per cent of operations will be cancelled on the day this year and a spokesman said the report was a ‘limited snapshot’.