Operations and appointments could be cancelled as Cumbria's hospitals come under increasing pressure.

NHS England has told trusts to postpone non-emergency surgery and routine outpatient clinics if necessary to cope with a high-profile surge in demand on hospitals nationally.

As Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt apologised to patients, the British Medical Association warned that the NHS is at crisis point, with hospitals at capacity, GP surgeries full and social care in short supply.

Across Cumbria, bosses say A&E departments are coming under increasing pressure this winter, but they are still looking at whether stopping surgery or cancelling entire clinics is necessary.

They say patients will be informed directly if they are affected.

After facing similar pressures last year, local trusts had already reduced the number of non-emergency operations being planned for January to avoid significant numbers of cancellations.

However some non-urgent procedures have still been postponed in Cumbria this winter to make way for emergencies.

There have also been warnings that A&E departments are under increased pressure, while some wards have been affected by the norovirus winter sickness bug. Flu cases are also on the rise and the public urged to stay away from hospital unless it is a genuine emergency.

Helen Ray, executive managing director of operations at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said winter plans are already in full swing.

After receiving the update from the NHS National Emergency Pressures Panel yesterday, she said they are now working with clinicians to determine the best course of action in order to balance clinical requirements across outpatients and urgent care settings.

"We have been working with our partners for months to prepare for this and have taken additional planned steps in line with NHS England advice.

“As part of our existing plans, we have safely reduced the number of elective operations we undertake so we are able to ensure urgent and cancer cases can be accommodated and that we are able to utilise our staffing resource to focus on making sure that emergency patients who need our services the most are prioritised," she said.

"We recognise how frustrating cancellations are for patients and extend our apologies to those patients who have had operations postponed during this time. These will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

“We appreciate the ongoing support from our communities at this time and we would continue to ask anyone who has symptoms of flu or norovirus to avoid coming to hospital in order to help stop the spread. In the majority of cases, flu and norovirus do not need to be treated in hospital."

Mrs Ray went on to remind the public of the alternatives to A&E departments, such as minor injuries units or local pharmacists.

She added: “Finally, thank you to our staff who, as always, have shown amazing commitment and resilience during the busy Christmas and New Year period, going above and beyond on a daily basis to provide safe and high quality care to our patients.”

The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) says it is also under pressure from non-emergency admissions and attendances at the emergency departments.

To date the trust has only postponed one non-urgent operation, but the situation is being kept under review on a continual basis.

People with operations or outpatient appointments scheduled are urged to attend unless contacted directly by the trust.

Aaron Cummins, deputy chief executive, said: “Our emergency departments are under significant pressure – and a consequent effect of this is that our wards are also very busy. We would therefore ask people only to attend our A&Es in serious or life-threatening circumstances.

“If you aren’t sure whether or not to attend A&E, please ring the NHS advice line on 111 who are trained to help. If you have a minor illness or injury that needs attention, you can visit your nearest pharmacist, Primary Care Assessment Centre, or speak to your GP. If you do attend, please be patient with staff who are doing their best in difficult circumstances.”

Dr Stuart Findley, co-chairman of the North East and Cumbria Urgent and Emergency Care Network, which represents all NHS organisations, explained that it will be up to each hospital to decide whether they cancel operations or outpatient appointments.

"The guidance issued by NHS England is in line with the winter plans for dealing with times of increased pressure on front line services.

"The guidance advises that trusts can delay planned, non-urgent operations to release staff and resources and capacity to deal with more urgent cases, ensuring that those patients in the greatest immediate need get the support they require," he explained.

"Each hospital is different so they can choose how they do this and our hospital trusts will try to minimise disruption to those patients with non urgent planned operations when making their decisions.

"It's very important that patients with planned operations, procedures or outpatient appointments should attend as normal unless they are specifically contacted by their hospital and asked not to.

"Only those patients contacted directly will have appointments delayed and these will be rearranged. Cancer diagnosis and treatment appointments will not be delayed.

"Any patients who do have a hospital appointment delayed, and feel their condition is getting worse, should contact their GP in the first instance for support."

He also expressed his gratitude to "hardworking frontline NHS staff" across Cumbria and the northern region.


Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised to patients who have had operations delayed as a result of winter pressures in the NHS.

Tens of thousands of planned operations could be delayed for at least a month as the NHS deals with the most urgent cases.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Theresa May said the health service is better prepared "than ever before".

The comments came after NHS England urged hospitals to defer planned operations and routine outpatient appointments until the end of the month due to severe winter pressures.

In a drastic step to try to free up hospital staff and beds, NHS England also said the deferral of non-urgent inpatient elective care should be extended until January 31.

Mr Hunt told Sky News: "There are real pressures, no question about it. This is the busiest week of the year for the NHS.

"What is different this year compared to last year is that [last year] we had a lot of operations cancelled at the last minute, a lot of people were called up the day before their operation and told: 'I'm sorry, it can't go ahead'.

"And we recognise that it is better, if you are unfortunately going to have to cancel or postpone some operations, to do it in a planned way, and that's why this year this independent panel has decided to take this decision.

"And that, I think, in the end, is better for people.

"Although if you are someone whose operation has been delayed I don't belittle that for one moment, and indeed I apologise to everyone who that has happened to."

Mrs May recognised it was disappointing and frustrating for affected patients.

On a visit in Wokingham, she pledged operations would be rescheduled "as soon as possible".

Mrs May said: ''The NHS has been better prepared for this winter than ever before, we have put extra funding in.

''There are more beds available across the system, we've reduced the number of delayed discharges of elderly people who would otherwise have been in NHS beds rather than in social care.

''But I recognise for those people that have had their operations postponed this is disappointing, it's frustrating."