University Hospital Aintree (320)

HOSPITALS across Merseyside and Cheshire have cancelled hundreds of operations for “non clinical” reasons, according to information obtained by the Conservative Party.

The details of cancelled operations were released under the Freedom of Information Act and suggested tens of thousands of operations have been cancelled nationwide in 2007/08.

In Merseyside The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust said it had cancelled 351 operations during this period, but insisted the situation had improved significantly in recent months.

Reasons for the cancellations had ranged from “theatre booking issues” (83 cancelled) to lack of beds (60) and staffing (86) and equipment issues (79), among others.

But last night the Trust’s Chief Executive Tony Bell said changes in the way its theatres are managed had seen a significant reduction in the number of cancellations this year and this improvement is expected to continue.

In a statement the Trust said its overall operation cancellation rate for the past year was 0.8% – the target set for the year, and included a reduction of 7% in total cancellations and a reduction of 30% in patient cancellations.