A record number of children’s operations were cancelled last year.
According to data obtained by the Labour Party, 18,647 emergency and non-emergency children’s operations were cancelled last year.
This is a record number, and people are expressing the need for change to take place in the country’s healthcare system.
Over the past eight years, 117,936 children’s operations were cancelled by the NHS.
Cancer treatment, pregnancy terminations and broken bones were some of the serious procedures affected for those under 18-years-old.
Experts say the most common reasons for these cancellations are lack of capacity, not enough beds, and equipment failures.
Richard Stewart, the president of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, and Eric Nicholls, the chair of the Children’s Surgical Forum at the Royal College of Surgeons, jointly told The Guardian:
“Pressures are particularly bad over the busy winter months as beds are more occupied with winter flu-affected children.
“We also have less beds available due to reduced resources – beds and staff – as a result of the financial pressures the NHS has faced over recent years.
“Having an operation cancelled is stressful for children and their families.
“Alongside practical considerations such as wasted time off school and work, children and their families have to deal with the mental anguish of preparing for surgery all over again.
They went on to reassure families that the majority of cancelled operations are rescheduled soon after their original date.
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care said there are 2.1 million more operations taking place a year than in 2010.
“Hospitals continue to do everything they can to keep last-minute cancellations to a minimum.
“The NHS long-term plan, together with our historic funding commitment for the health service, will see frontline services improve and put the health service on a long-term sustainable footing, backed by an extra £20 billion a year by 2023/24.”
