Rochdale MP quizzes PM about postponement of non-urgent surgeries and hospital appointments

Sir Tony Lloyd MP

Rochdale MP Sir Tony Lloyd has quizzed the Prime Minister about pausing non-urgent surgeries and hospital appointments across Greater Manchester.

Last week, it was announced that some non-urgent operations and hospital appointments are being postponed across the region, due to “the rising impact” of Covid.

High and rising levels of staff absence are the main reason for the changes, with around 15% of the Greater Manchester staffing level off either ill with Covid or isolating, the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership said.

Cancer and urgent care patients – including those due to undergo cardiac surgery, vascular surgery and transplantation – will not be affected. The Christie and Rochdale Infirmary will continue to provide cancer and other urgent surgery as Covid secure sites for Greater Manchester.
 

Read more: Local hospitals postpone non-urgent operations as Omicron variant affects staff levelsPublished: 05 January 2022

Speaking in the House of Commons during Boris Johnson’s Covid update on Wednesday 5 January, Mr Lloyd asked: “Will the Prime Minister make it very clear to some of his back benchers that a strategy for living with Covid cannot include every hospital in Greater Manchester being unable to deliver elective surgery? Other hon. Members have raised that point.

“Will he make it clear that the strategy will include resources being put in to make sure that we catch up in Greater Manchester for people such as one of my close friends, who needs a hip replacement because she is in such pain?”

Responding, Mr Johnson said: “Yes, and that is why we have the NHS and social care fund. That is why we are putting that measure through.”