Hundreds of cancer operations were cancelled by English NHS trusts during winter, prompting a warning that delays to procedures could affect a patient’s chance of survival.

A poll of 81 acute NHS trusts by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) found more than half were forced to cancel at least one operation between December and February, with 530 scrapped in total.

Macmillan Cancer Support said the delays to some procedures could have affected the survival chances of patients.

Hospitals across England were instructed to delay pre-planned operations and routine outpatient appointments throughout January due to severe winter pressures. At the time, NHS England said cancer operations and time-critical procedures were exempt and should go ahead as planned.



However, the HSJ survey found 43 trusts cancelled operations, including some diagnostic procedures such as biopsies.

Macmillan’s executive director of policy and impact, Fran Woodard, told the HSJ: “Depending on the type of operation, a delay could mean that the cancer not only progresses in that time, but that the chances of survival are also affected.”

An NHS England spokeswoman said: “Despite all the pressures from flu and norovirus, NHS hospitals treated 2,615 more cancer patients this January than last January.

“The proportion of cancer patients fast-tracked for treatment within 62 days was the highest this January that it has been for the past three years.”

Last week, Cambridge University hospitals NHS foundation trust announced that it had been forced to cancel all planned procedures, including those for cancer care, for one day due to a large influx of emergency cases.

Theresa May made the NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens, “personally responsible” in November for avoiding another winter crisis and a repeat of the chaos in many hospital wards in previous years.

Last month, the prime minister vowed to create a long-term funding plan for the NHS to ensure rising demand did not overwhelm the service.

Responding to a question from the health and social care select committee, May said: “This year and in advance of next year’s spending review, I do want to come forward with a long-term plan. I want that to be done in conjunction with NHS leaders and provide a multi-year funding settlement consistent with our fiscal rules and balanced approach.

“Ensuring the NHS can cope with demand ahead of the spending review, I would suggest we can’t wait until next Easter. I think in this 70th anniversary year of the NHS’s foundation, we need an answer on this.”