The Shadow Health Secretary has blasted the government after figures revealed there has been a 45% increase in the amount of Manchester patients having operations cancelled at the last minute.
Records show the showcking rise has occurred over a 12 month period and is nine times higher in Manchester hospitals than the national average.
According to research from the Royal College of Surgeons, some patients are being turned away after being admitted to free up beds for an increasing amount of people in A&E.
Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh, said: “Under David Cameron, hospitals are full to bursting, with record numbers in A&E departments, and it is clearly dragging down the rest of the NHS.
“Thousands of patients face the indignity of having an operation cancelled at the very last minute. Meanwhile it’s getting harder to see your GP and A&Es are struggling more than at any point for a decade too.
“These figures are yet further proof that you cannot trust the Tories with the NHS.”
Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport has seen an 87% increase in operations cancelled at the last minute, whilst Wythenshawe Hospital has seen an increase of 75%.
Jeff Smith, Labour’s candidate for Manchester Withington also blamed the Tory government for the chaos and said the Prime Minister, David Cameron, was the ‘only person to blame.’
He said: “David Cameron is completely out of touch with what is happening on the NHS frontline in Manchester.
“People are not only waiting longer for operations but increasing numbers in Manchester now face the appalling anxiety of preparing for treatment only to be let down just hours before surgery.
“There’s only one person to blame for the crisis in our local NHS and that’s David Cameron. He wasted £3 billion and caused chaos with a damaging NHS reorganisation he promised wouldn’t happen.”
Image courtesy of Labour and Army Medicine, with thanks.
