NHS ops down 20pc
Thousands wait for surgery as staff struggle to clear backlog
THE number of NHS operations being carried out has plummeted by 20 per cent compared with prepandemic levels, despite an increase in surgery in recent months.
The latest figures show 22,000 routine planned operations in March this year, which was the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
But it remains far below the 27,645 in February 2020. Almost one in ten of operations scheduled in March 2022 was cancelled on the day surgery was due, or the day before.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ‘There are thousands of people waiting in pain but the backlog is still getting bigger.
‘Scottish Liberal Democrat analysis shows more than 300,000 operations have now been lost to the pandemic. There are still 20
‘Patients and staff need hope’
per cent fewer procedures scheduled each month. Both patients and staff need new hope.’
Of the 2,109 operations that were cancelled, a total of 744 were put back by the hospital because of clinical reasons, which would include the patient being infected with Covid.
A total of 739 surgeries were cancelled by the patient, which is in line with usual figures.
However, 553 operations were cancelled by the hospital for nonclinical or capacity reasons, such as a lack of beds due to a high number of Covid patients.
The figures were published by Public Health Scotland yesterday.
Its report said: ‘The number of operations that services are able to schedule continues to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.’
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘These figures are deeply concerning, especially given that the SNP have officially taken the NHS off an emergency footing.
‘We need to get back to more than pre-pandemic capacity to start to clear the enormous surgical backlog – but the SNP Government seem unable to devise a plan to get on top of this crisis and, as a result, waiting times are likely to grow further.
‘Sadly this is a symptom of an over-arching problem in Scotland’s NHS under SNP control.
‘It’s unfair on medical staff, who are being let down by a failing system, and those poor patients who are psychologically geared up for essential surgery only to have it cancelled at the last minute.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said that planned operations were up by ‘over 15 per cent on the previous month’, describing this as a ‘significant positive step’ despite the presence of the highly infectious Covid variant omicron.
He added: ‘We are working with NHS Boards to get those who have had treatments or procedures postponed due to Covid-19 the care they need as quickly as possible.
‘Throughout the pandemic, NHS Boards have ensured that urgent, maternity and vital cancer services continue as usual and have worked hard to ensure vital cancer care remains in place where clinically agreed.
‘In March 2022, 20,000 planned operations took place across NHS Scotland, an increase of over 15 per cent on the previous month. This is a significant positive step in the right direction.’