Number of cancelled ops at New Cross Hospital rises

The number of hospital operations cancelled at the last minute in Wolverhampton has soared by more than 30 per cent while it has fallen in other Black Country and county hospitals.

During April to June New Cross Hospital cancelled 109 operations while patients were already waiting to be taken to surgery, compared to 83 a year earlier, a rise of 31 per cent.

The Department of Health defines a last minute cancellation as one on the day the patient was due to arrive, after the patient has arrived in hospital or on the day of the operation or surgery.

The news is another blow for New Cross Hospital which has faced criticism from the Care Quality Commission for failing to meet standards and care "not always safe."

Figures show that four other acute hospitals in the Black Country and Staffordshire reduced the number of last minute cancellations with Walsall seeing numbers drop by more than 60 per cent.

The hospital had 24 last minute cancellations in April top June this year compared with 64 a year earlier, a drop of 62 per cent.

Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley saw numbers drop from 101 to 61, a fall of 39 per cent.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust also saw a 39 per cent, dropping from 157 a year ago to 95 this year.

Stafford Hospital saw numbers of cancelled operations drop from 92 to 60 during the same three month period, a drop of 34 per cent.

The figures are all for elective operations which are scheduled in advance.