All routine ops over Christmas cancelled
NHS Tayside expects surge in unplanned admissions
Health bosses have cancelled all routine hospital operations across Tayside over Christmas – prompting criticism from some Scottish politicians.
NHS Tayside insists the decision to cancel all planned procedures from December 18 to January 8, has been made so staff can cope with an anticipated surge of unplanned hospital admissions over the threeweek festive period.
But Labour and Conservative MSPs have been quick to condemn the move in light of last week’s news that the health board is also facing a funding gap of £50m this year after failing to make sufficient savings over the last few years.
Defending the decision, an NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “Every winter, NHS Tayside, along with all other health board areas, experiences an increase in unplanned admissions which in previous years has meant the step-down at short notice of patient’s planned treatments, which we know is very distressing for patients, their families and disruptive for our staff.
“Patients are also more likely to choose not to come in for their procedure over the festive time as they have family commitments. Procedures which have been planned to go ahead are often cancelled by patients at the last minute as they feel they are unable to come in over the festive period.
“Therefore, our annual winter plan for this year includes a three week step-down of non-urgent, elective procedures from Monday, December 18 to Monday, January 8 across our three surgical sites - Ninewells Hospital, Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital.
“Emergency surgery, urgent procedures and all cancer surgeries will be unaffected and will take place as normal during this time.”
However Scottish Labour’s public health spokesman, Colin Smyth, commented: “The health board has needed to be bailed out by the government for the last five years running, and now we see operations being suspended over winter.
“It’s utterly shameful that an NHS board should be in this state anywhere in the country, never mind in the health secretary’s own backyard.
And North East region Scottish Conservative MSP, Bill Bowman, said: “Tayside health board’s financial problems are similar to those of health boards across Scotland. They are a sign of the Scottish Government’s failure to run its affairs.
“Some patients are waiting up to nine months for routine surgery against a target of 12 weeks. Lists which are already too long will get longer.”
“A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Decisions to cancel operations are never taken lightly. There are sometimes good clinical reasons why a procedure cannot go ahead.
“We are continually working with health boards to keep all cancellations to a minimum. We have made clear to boards that patients with the greatest clinical need, such as cancer patients, should not have their operations cancelled.” Routine surgery will not take place over the festive period owing to an expected surge in unscheduled demand
It’s shameful an NHS board should be in this state anywhere, never mind in the health secretary’s own backyard