THE Great Western Hospital had one of the highest number of non-emergency operation cancellations in the month of January.

New figures show that 141 operations were cancelled, the second highest level in the South West region.

The figures come just days after hospital chiefs announced a ‘black alert’, meaning there were no spare beds so more operations had to be postponed.

Gloucestershire NHS Trust had 436 operations cancelled and was the highest, but no other single hospital had more than the GWH.

A spokesman for the hospital said ensuring the care patients received was of the highest quality in the face of high demand was the reason behind the decision to call off the operations.

He said: “Patient safety and quality of care is our absolute priority, and therefore when the hospital is extremely busy, as it was during January, we sometimes have to postpone routine inpatient operations to treat the increased number of emergency patients being admitted.

“The decision to postpone these operations is never taken lightly and is only made under exceptional circumstances. Patients who had an operation postponed were informed of the decision in advance and were given another date at the earliest opportunity.

“This winter has been particularly busy, not just for us but for all NHS trusts. Swindon is a growing and ageing population, which means we are caring for more and more patients, many of whom are often elderly, frail and suffering from multiple and complex health needs.”

Figures show that in January there were no beds available for a total of eight days. At the height of the crisis South West Ambulance erected a medical tent in the car park, although in the end it was not used.

The NHS sets a target that 95 per cent of patients should be seen within a four-hour period, but at one point this figure was down to 83.4 per cent.

Speaking at the time Dr Guy Rooney, the Foundation Trust’s medical director, said: “We treat patients in order of clinical need and our priority is to provide safe and high quality care to each patient.

“Therefore, with the current high demand less urgent patients may be waiting longer than normal.”

Last week the hospital said plans were being drawn up to increase capacity for next winter to reduce bed shortage.