27.06.16
Cancelled operations at their highest since January 2015
More urgent NHS operations were cancelled last month than at any time since January 2015, the latest NHS statistics show.
There were 378 cancelled urgent operations in May 2016, the highest rate since a spike in December 2014, when 408 operations were cancelled, and January 2015, when 396 were cancelled.
The figures represent a growth from 358 cancelled operations in April 2016 and 300 in May 2015.
The figures also show a rise in critical care bed occupancy. In May 2016, adult bed occupancy was at 83.6%, compared to 80.2% the previous month and 82.5% at the same time last year.
Similarly, paediatric bed occupancy was at 80.8%, an increase from 79.3% in April 2016 and 74.1% in May 2015, and neo-natal occupancy was at 75.4%, compared to 71.6% in April 2016 and 72.3% in May 2015.
Last month’s overall performance figures for the NHS also showed that delayed transfers are at their highest since records began.
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