Credit: Natanael Melchor | @nmelchorh
Stephen has contacted the Health Secretary to raise his concerns after it was found that 4,643 operations cancelled in Barts NHS Trust last year.
Data collected by the Labour Party from freedom of information requests made to NHS hospitals show the impact of 12 years of underinvestment in our NHS by the Conservatives. Staff shortages were the most common reason given for cancellations by hospitals, accounting for 1 in 5 of all operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons in 2021/22. 227 operations were cancelled due to a lack of staff available at Bart’s.
Speaking about the figures, Stephen said: “Patients are forced to wait longer for vital operations because the Conservatives have failed to train enough staff over the past 12 years.
“Having operations cancelled causes huge disruption to patients, and prevents them from being able to get on with their lives. I have today written to the Health Secretary asking how he plans to improve these figures in the coming year.
“Labour will tackle this problem at its root. We will train a new generation of doctors and nurses so patients get the treatment they need, when they need it. We will abolish non-doms to pay for it because patients need treatment more than the wealthiest need a tax break and if you live and work in Britain you should pay your taxes here.”