Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Tuesday 15th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

I am very happy to look into whether that is an area where my Department should take responsibility.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

My constituent, Elaine Catterick, has had a serious operation at the James Cook hospital on Teesside cancelled twice in three months—once with just a few hours’ notice. She has also learned that there are twice-daily meetings at the hospital to decide whose operation should be cancelled next, as staff struggle to cope with spending cuts. I hope that is not what the Secretary of State wanted from his reforms, so what is he going to do about it?

[Mr Hunt]

All cancelled operations are a concern. The number of cancelled operations was about 50% higher as a proportion of all operations under the previous Government, but no operation should be cancelled, and we will continue to do what we can to bring down the numbers.