One in seven operations cancelled or postponed

One in seven NHS operations were cancelled or postponed on the day of surgery during one week at hospitals in the UK, a seven-day study found.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists said its findings provide the most comprehensive Uk-wide study to date on rates and reasons for surgical cancellations, using data from 90 per cent of NHS hospitals across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It said that although lastminute cancellations of surgery were running at record highs, little was known about the specific risk factors beyond seasonal fluctuations. Looking at the week of 21 to 27 March, 2017, it noted that 26,171 inpatient operations were scheduled. Of those operations, 3,724 were cancelled or postponed on the day of surgery.