Labour blast op cancellation figures
MORE than 580 operations were cancelled in April for non-clinical reasons.
Data published by ISD Scotland shows 587 operations (2.2 per cent) were cancelled by hospitals for non-clinical reasons in April – up from 490 in 2017.
However, the overall percentage of operations cancelled fell over the same period. The total number of planned operations across NHS Scotland during April was 26,932, an increase of 10 per cent from 24,491 in the same month last year.
Of these, 2429 (nine per cent) were cancelled.
This compares with 2295 (9.4 per cent) in April 2017.
Of all planned operations, 939 (3.5 per cent) were cancelled by the patient, 836 (3.1 per cent) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons and 587 (2.2 per cent) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The decision for a board to postpone an elective procedure is never taken lightly and any postponed procedures will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity.”
The figures were criticised by Scottish Labour, who called for Robsion to “do the decent thing” and resign.
Health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: “Each of these cancelled operations leaves a patient waiting in pain for treatment.”