Liver transplant operations at one of the country’s flagship teaching hospitals have been cancelled because of a shortage of critical care nurses, HSJ can reveal.
Leaked documents and emails seen by HSJ show Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust has been forced to close two critical care wards at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’ University Hospital because of an inability to find sufficient numbers of nurses.
Two patients were told their operation would go ahead but it was cancelled at a later stage
As a result, eight patients awaiting the vital transplant operation have missed out on the procedure because there were no intensive care beds available to take them.
In two cases, patients were told their operation would go ahead but it was cancelled at a later stage.
The trust told HSJ on Friday it was facing a shortage of nurses and the recent introduction of agency pay caps was one factor in its inability to staff wards, but it also emphasised the wider UK nursing shortage.
Full story in Health Services Journal 18 April 2016