Nearly 5,000 children’s operations in Milton Keynes cancelled over the past five years

Shocking figures uncovered through Freedom of Information requests have revealed 4,995 children’s operations have been cancelled in Milton Keynes over the past five years due to a shortage of staff and beds. 

The data shows that 1,229 children’s operations have been cancelled due to lack of beds and 464 due to staff shortages since 2018. 

Another 110 were cancelled due to equipment problems, such as machines being faulty or not being available. 

1,284 children’s operations were cancelled in 2022, an increase of 73% compared to the year before. 

Councillor Jane Carr, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: 

“Behind these shocking figures there are families in our city having to wait in pain and distress. Our overstretched local NHS health services are collapsing due to years of neglect by the Government and with extreme staff shortages and a lack of hospital beds, now local families are paying the price.”

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to come up with a rescue plan to bring health services back from the brink. This would include bringing in a proper plan to tackle workforce shortages in the NHS, investing in newer equipment and increasing bed capacity at local hospitals.

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The Liberal Democrats are demanding a rescue plan for the NHS and care. This would include:

• Recruit an extra 8,000 GPs to deliver 65 million more appointments a year, taking pressure off hospitals and getting patients the urgent attention, they need.
• Boosting capital investment in the health service, including increasing the number of hospital beds and investing in newer equipment.
• Introduce a Carer’s Minimum Wage for social care workers to stem the exodus of staff and ensure hospitals can discharge their patients safely and efficiently.
• Ensure the Government brings forward their NHS workforce plan now, and fully fund pay rises for staff so that the NHS doesn’t have to stretch its budget even further.