9,000 operations cancelled

Almost 9,000 operations were cancelled in hospitals around the country in the first six months of this year, new figures show.

Statistics released to Fine Gael in a parliamentary question reply, show a 27 per cent increase on figures for the same period in 2008.

The party's health spokesman Dr James Reilly said it was depressing that the figures confirmed that the gridlock in hospitals continues to see patients’ procedures cancelled.

"At 8,935, the number of cancelled operations in the first half of the year is well up on the same period in 2008," Dr Reilly said.

The 7,037 cancelled operations by June 2008 more than doubled to 16,316 by year end, which suggests 20,000 operations may be cancelled by the end of this year," he added.

According to the new figures, Dublin's Tallaght Hospital had the most cancellations, with 291 planned admissions for day cases cancelled and 937 inpatient operations cancelled.

Dr Reilly said it was clear that A&E overcrowding and delayed discharges from acute beds were leading to cancelled operations.

He said 40,000 operations have been cancelled since 2007.

Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out that in-patient and day case waiting list statistics used by the NTPF and the HSE exclude patients from lists once they are scheduled or have been accepted for a procedure.

However, the Comptroller said this does not take account of the fact that there would be a high risk of cancellation of scheduled procedures under pressure from emergency department (ED) activity and delayed discharges from hospital beds.

Commenting on the cancellations, the HSE said the figures presented by Dr Reilly "are not an accurate reflection of the experience of all patients" or on the level of activity being carried out in hospitals.

While accepting that the cancellation of a hospital admission is an inconvenience and can be stressful for patients, the HSE said cancellations are a feature of hospital systems in Ireland and internationally.

The HSE said that  the increase in cancellations quoted by Dr Reilly were linked to an increase in activity in hospitals rather than a significant increase in the number of cancellations alone. It said not all cancellations were a result of hospital capacity or availability.

[Posted: Tue 29/09/2009]