Cancelled operations rise 10% in past decade

Figures today show that the number of cancelled operations has risen from 15,282 in 1999 to 16,717 in 2010 – an increase of 10%.

Nanette Milne MSP, Scottish Conservative Public Health Spokesperson, said:

"These figures are very concerning, and show that over the past decade we have still not got to grips with this. We now have an all-time high of cancelled operations since devolution. Whilst the responsibility in some cases will fall on patients, it does not account for continual rises year on year. Every cancelled operation is a waste of resource for our NHS.

"It is further proof of the burden of politically set targets by a centrally-based government and why clinical professionals, not remote politicians, should set their own priorities. The SNP also continually ignores the help our NHS could get from the independent sector.

"We all know the pressures our frontline staff face, which is why we were the first party in Scotland to commit to protecting the NHS Budget. There have been some innovative measures introduced, such as reminding patients via email and text, but we can do more. We also want to cut management costs, directing more money to the health visiting service in Scotland. It is ideas like these that will protect and improve our NHS, not centrally-set targets by career politicians."

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