Increase in Glasgow operations cancelled due to ‘lack of equipment’
Probe into roof collapse at shopping centre
MEDICS have cancelled more than 1000 operations in Scotland in the last two years because of a lack of equipment, according to new figures.
A freedom of information request by Scottish Labour shows a total of 1085 operations have not gone ahead due to medical staff not having the equipment needed to carry them out since 2017-2018.
The number of cancelled operations has also risen during that time, with 427 cancellations in 2017-2018
EMERGENCY crews rushed to a shopping centre in Paisley following reports of a roof collapse inside the building.
Shoppers were evacuated from the Paisley Centre shortly after 3pm yesterday when an internal roof came crashing down and 658 in 2018-2019.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the largest increase over the period, with the number of cancellations rising from 70 to 335 in the most recent figures.
In November last year, the board was forced to close the Cowlairs Decontamination Unit, which cleans instruments for all of the city’s hospitals after it failed an inspection. The closure led to more than 1000 operations being cancelled.
There were also rises recorded at boards including NHS Grampian (32 to 40), NHS Lothian (97 to 107) and NHS Forth Valley (six to 12).
Boards including NHS onto the main concourse.
Police, fire and ambulance services have since rushed to the scene – although no one is thought to have been injured.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were currently in attendance at the Paisley Centre on
Dumfries and Galloway (44 to 22) had a decrease in the number of cancellations due to lack of required equipment.
NHS Tayside (six to zero), NHS Lanarkshire (89 to 77) and NHS Western Isles (32 to 14) were also among the boards that recorded a fall.
Over the two-year period, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the highest number of cancellations (405), followed by NHS Lothian (204) and NHS Lanarkshire (166).
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon, said the NHS is badly in need of a funding injection.
She said: “These figures
High Street, Paisley following reports of a collapsed structure.”
“Operations Control have mobilised a number of resources to the scene, after the alarm was raised at 3.09pm.”
He added: “There are no reported casualties.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman
news@ eveningtimes. co.uk added: “Police were made aware of a collapsed structure at the High Street entrance of the Paisley Centre at around 3.15pm.
“No injuries have been reported, however officers remain on the scene to assist in the closure of the centre.” confirm that more and more surgeries are being cancelled because our hospitals don’t have the right equipment, and that is extremely worrying.”
A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “We do our best not to postpone any planned procedures but, as with every other board across Scotland, when we are experiencing a sustained high demand for emergency medical care we have, unfortunately, to reschedule non-urgent planned inpatient procedures.
“We make arrangements to re-book these patients as soon as possible at a date that suits them.”