Government ministers have claimed that fewer operations were cancelled at the last minute this winter, than last. The Department of Health have said that during January to March this year, there were around 4,000 less operations cancelled at the last minute than in the same period last year.
In 2005 - 2006, there were 17,236 operations cancelled which equates to 1.2% of all operations, but during the same period in the year before, there were 21,566 cancellations, which equates to 1.6% of all operations.
The government introduced a cancelled operations 'guarantee' in April 2002, which says that patients must be guaranteed an operation within 28 days of a cancellation.
Our view
Perhaps if this Government spent less money on the Olympic games or assisting the disaster that is Wembley stadium, there would be enough money for hospitals and nurses meaning ZERO cancelled operations.
It is not that we are against the Olympics or other sports, it is the fact that the people elected do not do what their electors pay them to do - i.e. look after our interests and welfare.