Leader: One cancelled op is too many

News that three operations a day were cancelled in the Lothians last year because our hospitals couldn't cope is worrying.

1200 operations were cancelled last year. Picture: Jayne Wright

We understand that sometimes it is unavoidable through staff absence and emergencies taking priority but 1200 surgery sessions being called off points to deeper issues.

NHS Lothian bosses tell us that an average of 152 operations are carried out every day. When you consider that then three being cancelled doesn’t seem that bad, does it?

Well, that is unless you or a member of your family are one of those three.

Someone waiting for an operation, which presumably by its nature must be badly needed, will almost certainly have experienced significant anxiety as the date approaches.

Arrangements will have been made with family and friends for the day and for post op care. To find out then that the procedure is being cancelled through no fault of your own should be seen as simply unacceptable.

Health services in the Lothians are facing challenges as are hospitals across the country, but let’s not treat patients like statistics. Those three out of 152 every day are real people. It could be any one of us. One cancelled operation is too many.