Capacity worries cause bump in cancelled operations

Posted by Jamie Mackie | Updated 2016-09-06

North East MSP Mike Rumbles has raised concerns over the increasing amount of operations cancelled for capacity or non-clinical reasons by NHS Grampian.

The amount of operations put on hold has increased month on month since April 2016, with figures for July swelling to two cancellations per day.

Mr Rumbles said: “There are many good reasons to cancel planned operations, but capacity is not one of them.

“If NHS Grampian are consistently having problems finding beds, staff and resources to care for patients, then it’s clear that something has gone wrong.

“It’s the duty of the Scottish Government to ensure that everyone has access to the treatment they need. If patients in Grampian are being continually let down the Government must provide the resources needed to sustain our local health services.

“I will be watching closely to see if this issue improves over the coming months.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

IDS Scotland – NHS data tables http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Publications/data-tables.asp?id=1732#1732

Health Board / Hospital Name	May-15	Jun-15	Jul-15	Aug-15	Sep-15	Oct-15	Nov-15	Dec-15	Jan-16	Feb-16	Mar-16	Apr-16	May-16	Jun-16	Jul-16
NHS Grampian
Total Number of scheduled elective operations in theatre system	3310	3405	3121	3138	3319	3229	3345	3018	3060	3312	3566	3203	3367	3349	2709
Total no of scheduled elective cancellations in theatre systems	264	310	315	269	268	242	269	236	340	335	330	267	281	275	240
Cancellation based on clinical reason by hospital	71	96	84	76	90	80	81	68	76	91	86	90	90	85	63
Cancellation based on capacity or non-clinical reason by hospital	76	62	48	60	50	48	64	56	139	102	86	36	37	54	60
Cancelled by Patient	110	135	149	125	105	99	111	104	118	134	148	119	142	124	107
Other reason	7	17	34	8	23	15	13	8	7	8	10	22	12	12	10
Hospital Level

Cancellation based on capacity or non-clinical reason by hospital includes:
No beds available, general ward, ICU, HDU
Staff not available, staff are ill, not available due to an emergency operation taking clinical priority
Equipment not available, equipment dirty
Theatre session overran therefore patient cancelled