SURGERIES have been cancelled or postponed because of staff shortages, increased demand and a knock-on effect from flu season.

Bolton has been missing its target to treat patients within 18 weeks since September last year.

The cancellation of elective surgery at Royal Bolton Hospital during winter to cope with the particularly bad flu season further hindered recovery.

Dr Barry Silvert, a Bolton health chief, said: "We had the problems in January which still impact us.

"Nationally elective performance is on the decline, this is being impacted by non-elective surgery, which leads to cancellations."

Nationally, 18,806 operations were cancelled at the last minute between April and June and 95 of these were at Royal Bolton. Of those 95, a total of 10 patients were not then treated within 28 days of their cancellation.

Dr Silvert was speaking while presenting a report to Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

His report says: "Elective performance at Bolton Foundation Trust has been significantly impacted upon by urgent care pressures throughout the winter months, and cancellation of elective activity has been required in order to meet urgent demand."

The report adds this has had a knock-on effect on elective surgery in summer months.

Between the CCG and the hospital trust it has been agreed the elective waiting lists are a priority and the CCG has agreed to fund care beyond what has been previously agreed in a bid to focus on patients who have been waiting longer than 18 weeks.

The areas with the most patients waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment are ophthalmology (eyes), orthopaedics (musculoskeletal) and general surgery (abdomen).

Dr Silvert's report also notes that poor performance at other hospitals, including Manchester and Salford, are also reflected on Bolton CCG's target.

Manchester Foundation Trust had 293 patients waiting over 52 weeks for treatment at the end of June, six of which were from Bolton.

Dr Silvert's report adds no "significant patient harm" had come from the delay.

In a bid to improve elective performance at Royal Bolton and other hospitals in the region a Greater Manchester Elective Care Programme has been established by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership which will see trust works together to improve elective waiting lists.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, the body made up of NHS organisations, councils and others, said: “As a partnership we recognise the pressures on hospital systems and established the Greater Manchester elective care hub to ensure all patients have access to the best care and treatment.

"All ten areas within Greater Manchester will share their best practice through the hub with hospitals, and other providers, learning from each other.

"The hub will also ensure patients can expect the same quality of care wherever they’re based in the region. It will also mean patients receive more care closer to their home in community settings and are empowered to make decisions about their own care as well as managing their own health and condition with the support of health and care professionals.”