§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford in the last available month; and what percentage of the cancelled operations were carried out within four weeks. [55734]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 14 May 2002]: Data are collected quarterly. In Quarter 3 2001–02 there were 88 operations cancelled at Mid Essex Hospital Services 736W national health service trust at the last minute (operations cancelled by the hospital for non-clinical reasons on, or after the day the patient was due to be admitted). Fifteen patients were not readmitted within one month.
From 1 April 2002 if a patient has their operation cancelled by the hospital 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.