Full Story in The Guardian 3 April 2018
Hundreds of cancer operations were cancelled by English NHS trusts during winter, prompting a warning that delays to procedures could affect a patient’s chance of survival.
A poll of 81 acute NHS trusts by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) found more than half were forced to cancel at least one operation between December and February, with 530 scrapped in total.
Macmillan Cancer Support said the delays to some procedures could have affected the survival chances of patients.
Hospitals across England were instructed to delay pre-planned operations and routine outpatient appointments throughout January due to severe winter pressures. At the time, NHS England said cancer operations and time-critical procedures were exempt and should go ahead as planned.