Cancelled operations everyone’s problem
As reported by the BBC there are an unacceptable number of cancelled /postponed operations in Wales each year which has knock on effects for the whole NHS and can impact severely on patients' quality of life.
A leading surgeon says that winter pressures – the extra demand due to illness and falls etc – ties up beds which are then not available for those booked in for routine surgery. Mr Havard, a consultant surgeon in Cardiff, says nothing has changed since last winter.
The Welsh Government, who are responsible for the NHS in Wales, have done nothing to alleviate these pressures despite the problem being a long running one. In fact in many hospitals wards have been closed, meaning fewer beds are available. Combined with the lack of staff this causes severe problems, with many people who have already been waiting unacceptably long times for surgery having to wait even longer.
Perhaps the even more shocking statistic in the report, however, is the number of operations that don't take place because patients themselves cancel them at the last minute or, worse still, simply don't turn up. Almost half of all cancelled operations were because of this. It is unacceptable and more should be done to find out the reasons behind it and educate patients to have more consideration.
