Same day cancellations of elective operations in a tertiary hospital in south-east England: a review of 11 000 patients in 1 year

Cancellations of elective operations have negative consequences, both for patients and the NHS. For the latter, reducing waiting times for surgical procedures remains a pressing concern, as does maintenance of adequate staffing. This study aimed to identify factors contributing to the cancellation of elective operations on the day of the procedure in order to suggest measures that could be taken to reduce these incidents. The retrospective details of just over 11 000 patients awaiting theatre admission for elective operations over a period of 1 year were obtained. The reasons behind last-minute operation cancellations were categorised as either patient factors or hospital factors. Data analysis suggested that the number of cancellations could be reduced by scheduling appointments with a senior doctor closer to the operation date.