Cancelled planned operations
Month Ending 30 September 2024

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides a monthly update on the number of operations in NHSScotland that were cancelled the day before or on the day of treatment. Please note that data were previously submitted for the specialty of obstetrics by several NHS boards in error. From August this was resolved and therefore historic trends in the current publication do not reflect figures released prior to September 2024. In addition, in NHS Grampian both Central Decontamination Units, which sterilize and prepare surgical equipment, were closed for repairs in recent months, resulting in a high number of cancellations this month. They have advised that the Foresterhill unit reopened at the beginning of September, but Woodend remains closed.

Main points

• During September 2024, there were 22,584 operations planned to take place across NHSScotland. This is 1.5% lower than the number planned a year previously in September 2023 (22,937). Overall the number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted service provision. In the 12 months from October 2023 to September 2024, there was a 4.3% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months. However, this remains 15.2% lower than those planned to take place in the 12 months from March 2019 to February 2020, just prior to when the pandemic began to severely impact service provision.
• During the latest month, 9.8% (2,204) of planned operations were cancelled the day before or on the day the patient was due to be treated in NHSScotland. This is higher than the rates reported during September 2023 (9.2%; 2,102) and September 2019 (8.7%; 2,378). Across NHS boards, the percentage of cancelled planned operations ranged from 6% to 19.8% (in NHS Grampian) in this month.
• Of all planned operations during September 2024 in NHSScotland, 732 (3.2%) were cancelled by the hospital for clinical reasons, 676 (3%) were cancelled by the patient, 710 (3.1%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, and 86 (0.4%) were cancelled due to other reasons.

A trend chart showing NHS Scotland level data for total planned operations and percentage of cancelled planned operations, by reason, from January 2020 up to August 2024.

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NHS Scotland total planned operations and percentage of cancelled planned operations by reason to September 2024

Please note that fluctuation in the trend in the monthly number of planned operations will be caused partly by variation in the number of working days per month i.e. weekdays excluding public holidays, as theatre capacity tends to be lower at weekends and on public holidays.

Background

These statistics are released monthly. Data for this publication are submitted from NHS board theatre systems. Further information on the reasons for cancellation can be found on the Cancelled Planned Operations section of our website.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be 3 November 2024.

NHS Performs

A selection of information from this publication is included in NHS Performs. NHS Performs is a website that brings together a range of information on how hospitals and NHS Boards within NHSScotland are performing.