Drastic measures see operations postponed

PATIENTS were yesterday being informed that surgical procedures scheduled for as early as next Monday had been postponed.

And Health and Social Services chief officer Mark Cooke has said there were no guarantees that deferred appointments would take place in January.

The department has announced that all non-emergency and non-urgent off-island treatment and on-island elective surgery in December will be postponed until January in an effort to restrain a predicted £2.5m. overspend.

'There are 150 people scheduled for off-island surgery. Appointments are currently being reviewed by a specialist to confirm which of those should continue,' said Mr Cooke.

'That is being done on a case-by-case process. Anyone affected next week will know by tomorrow.'