Figures released by the NHS’s statistical body ISD Scotland has revealed that there have been 822 elective operations cancelled in NHS Fife, Tayside and Forth Valley as a result of “capacity or non-clinical reasons.” This is defined as a shortage of staff, beds or equipment or because a previous theatre session overran.
Murdo Fraser revealed in an FOI request last year that in 2013 NHS Tayside cancelled 343 elective operations as a result of these complications with the corresponding figure being 243 in 2012. In May, June, July and August of this year 341 operations have already been cancelled by NHS Tayside.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“It will be interesting to see what the year-end figures reveal about cancelled operations in NHS Tayside. This year my office has received several complaints from constituents about cancelled elective operations within the health board and the number of cancelled operations in May, June, July and August appears to already equal the figures for 2013.
“Ministers within the Scottish Government must not turn a blind eye to this as a pattern is emerging and resources must be made available to ensure the health board can tackle this issue. It is no longer good enough for the SNP to claim everything is fine.
“Across the Mid-Scotland and Fife region there have been nearly 1000 cancelled operations, that’s hundreds of frustrated patients having to wait longer than necessary for much needed procedures. Ministers need to sit down with staff at NHS Fife, Forth Valley and Tayside to see what additional funds are available to get these cancellations figures down.”