BASILDON Hospital has seen a huge surge in the number of cancelled operations.

The hospital cancelled 95 non-urgent operations, such as hip or knee surgeries, in the three months to June, this year, according to figures by NHS England.

This was an increase of 42 per cent from the same period in 2017, when there were 67 last-minute cancellations.

The data covers cancellations that were due to non-clinical reasons, such as bed or staff shortages.

A last-minute cancellation is defined as being either on the day that a patient was due to arrive, after the patient has arrived, or on the day of the operation itself.

In comparison, Southend Hospital has seen a large drop in cases. In 2017 the hospital cancelled 132 operations during the same period, but this year it was 73.

Andrew Baggott, Tory leader of Basildon Council, said he finds the statistics shocking. He added: “I know there have been discussions about people cancelling doctors’ appointments but if they don’t want the public to cancel it should be the same for hospitals.”

Clive Walsh, director of operations for emergency and unscheduled care at Southend Hospital, said the decrease was due to fewer emergency admissions to the hospital. He added: “When there are fewer acutely unwell patients requiring admission we are less likely to have to postpone elective operations.”

A Basildon Hospital spokesman said: “Out of the 67 operations cancelled all were rearranged within 28 days and out of the 95 operations cancelled, one was not carried out within 28 days.”