OXFORDSHIRE patients whose operations are cancelled at the last minute are increasingly having to wait longer than a month for them to be rescheduled.

In the three months to June, more than 13 per cent of those who had their operations cancelled at the last minute by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) were forced to wait longer than 28 days for a new theatre slot.

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has blamed 'enormous pressure' on the NHS for the long waits faced across England, saying it is unlikely there will be a reduction in cancelled operations any time soon.

The data covers cancellations that were due to non-clinical reasons, such as bed or staff shortages.

NHS rules say non-urgent operations, such as hip or knee procedures that are cancelled at the last minute, should be rescheduled within a maximum of 28 days.

However, of the 193 patients who had their surgery cancelled at the last minute by OUH between April and June, 26 were forced to wait longer than 28 days.

This was a huge increase on the same period last year, when four patients out of 177 (two per cent) were not treated within the timeframe.

The trust said it regretted the delays in rescheduling surgeries, blaming staff shortages for an increase in the number of bed closers.

The shortages have also led to the closure of two out of the 10 operating theatres at the Churchill Hospital in Headington which have added to the delays.

Vice president of the RCS, professor Cliff Shearman, said: “Having an operation that has been planned for months cancelled at short notice can be very stressful for patients and their families.

“Alongside practical considerations such as wasted time off work and rescheduling the surgery, patients will have to deal with the mental anguish of preparing for surgery all over again.”

Acting director of clinical services at OUH Sara Randall said: “The challenges we face around cancelled operations are similar to those faced by many hospital trusts across the country.

“At OUH we are committed to delivering the best service to our patients, and as soon as possible.

“Our staff work extremely hard to deliver the safest and highest quality care they can in a timely manner.

“If a decision has been made to cancel an operation it is never taken lightly and is a last resort.

“When a decision to cancel does have to be made, every effort is made to reschedule the operation as soon as possible.”

“We would like to reassure patients that we are working hard to reduce the number of operations that are cancelled, and that the majority of urgent operations go ahead as planned.”

A last-minute cancellation is defined as being either on the day that a patient was due to arrive, after the patient has arrived, or on the day of the operation itself.