§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what redress will be available to patients when operations are cancelled on the day they are due to take place under the National Plan. [135849]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 1 November 2000]: In the National Health Service Plan we have pledged that from 2002, when a patient's operation is cancelled on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice.