§ Sarah TeatherTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled for non-clinical reasons in each strategic health authority in England in each year since 1997. [172823]
§ Mr. HuttonQuarterly data for England are collected on the number of operations cancelled by the hospital for non-clinical reasons at the last minute (for example, on the day patients are due to arrive, or after arrival in hospital, or on the day of their operation), and the number of patients not admitted within 28 days of a "last minute" cancellation as part of the NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee.
Cancelled operations data by national health service trust and by strategic health authority are available in the Library and on the Department's website at http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity.