Last minute operation cancellations up 20 per cent in London

The number of London hospital operations cancelled on the day they were due to go ahead increased by 20 per cent in a year, new data reveals. In October-December 2022 there were 3,310 appointments cancelled at the last minute, up from 2,751 in the same period in 2021, NHS England figures show. Patients who have operations cancelled with little or no warning are meant to be treated within 28 days of the original date. But the number of Londoners not being seen in the target time has also risen, by 23 per cent.  

London Assembly Labour’s Health spokesperson, Krupesh Hirani AM, called on the government to urgently address “chronic” NHS staffing shortages so Londoners can receive the level of treatment they deserve. Mr Hirani said that securing better pay and conditions for health care workers is “vital” in re-establishing the NHS as a world-leading health service after a “decade of neglect” by the government. 

Barts NHS Trust was the worst performing in London, failing to treat any of the 321 patients who saw last minute cancellations within the 28-day target. Other poor-performing trusts were Guy’s & St Thomas’ who failed to treat 35 per cent of patients who had last minute cancellations within 28 days, followed by Whittington Health, 31 per cent, Hillingdon Hospitals, 27 per cent, and Imperial College Healthcare, 26 per cent.  

The NHS is currently facing ongoing strike action by nurses, ambulance staff and physiotherapists. The British Medical Association is currently balloting junior doctors for a mandate to undertake industrial action. In London, the vacancy rate in the health service reached 13 per cent, with more than 11,000 nursing posts unfilled. Against this backdrop, there are seven million people on waiting lists for elective operations and emergency care has almost collapsed with no major emergency department in London hitting targets for A&E waiting times. The president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Adrian Boyle, has estimated that between 300-500 patients a week may be dying across the country because of delays to emergency care.  

London Assembly Labour’s Health spokesperson, Krupesh Hirani AM, said: 

“Patients are being let down with too many operations cancelled without notice and further delays causing unnecessary stress and disruption to lives.   

“Staff are under extreme pressure. These figures reveal yet another aspect of deep-rooted problems in the NHS caused by more than after a decade of neglect by government. 

“Ministers must urgently address chronic health care staffing shortages and get back around the table to negotiate a fair pay package.  

“Addressing these core issues is the first step in delivering better care for Londoners and re-establishing the NHS as the world-leading health care service.”  

ENDS