Hundreds of Essex children ‘in pain’ after cancelled operations
Hundreds of children have been left “in pain and distress” due to cancelled operations at hospitals across Essex, data shows. The figures, released in a report by the Liberal Democrats, show 14,628 children’s operations were cancelled in 2022 – up 23 per cent from the previous year and the highest level in the past five years.
A total of 469 children’s operations were cancelled at hospitals run by the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust in 2022, an increase just shy of 13 per cent compared to 2021. Last year’s figures were not the highest within the past five years according to the data, however. In 2018, a total of 116 children’s operations were recorded as being cancelled.
The true figures will potentially be higher than the 469 quoted, however, with other Trusts from across Essex having not responded to the Liberal Democrats’ Freedom of Information requests.
The data is based on figures from 77 NHS hospital trusts in England who responded to the requests. Overall, nearly 60,000 children’s operations have been cancelled since 2018, meaning the data available for Essex contributes to less than one per cent of all cancellations nationwide.
The figures released by the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust show a decline in cancellations during the years of the coronavirus pandemic whilst other Trusts nationwide were having to increase the number of cancelled operations.
Year
Number of operations cancelled
2018
116
2019
96
2020
76
2021
85
2022
96
It is difficult to compare how Mid and South Essex compares to other trusts in the region, such as East Suffolk and North Essex or Hertfordshire and West Essex, as these Trusts did not provide any response.
A spokesperson for the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust said: “Unfortunately, we very occasionally have to postpone operations for patient safety reasons. They are rescheduled as soon as possible to reduce delays in treatment.”
Almost 4,000 of the nationwide cancellations last year were due to a lack of beds, a staggering 60 per cent rise on the year before. 2,894 children’s operations were cancelled due to a lack of staff, up more than 50 per cent, 446 were cancelled due to equipment problems, and 1,100 were cancelled due to a lack of theatre time on the day or because lists were overbooked.
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “The shocking scale of cancelled children’s operations is a badge of shame for this Conservative government. Behind these figures are countless children and parents having to wait in pain and distress.
“Years of neglect by this government have led to chronic staff shortages and a lack of hospital beds, with communities across the country paying the price. The local elections in May are a chance to send this out-of-touch Conservative government a message that enough is enough. We need a rescue plan now to bring local health services back from the brink.”
Has your child recently had an operation at hospitals in Essex cancelled? If you’d like, you can tell me your experiences by email at [email protected][2] or contact me on either Twitter[3] or Facebook[4].
References
- ^ Gardener who gives free veg to those struggling has allotment destroyed (www.essexlive.news)
- ^ [email protected] (www.essexlive.news)
- ^ Twitter (twitter.com)
- ^ Facebook (www.facebook.com)