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NHS crisis: Jeremy Hunt apologises to patients as thousands of non-urgent operations postponed NHS crisis: Jeremy Hunt apologises to patients as thousands of non-urgent operations postponed
(35 minutes later)
Jeremy Hunt has apologised to patients after tens of thousands of non-urgent operations were postponed in England. Jeremy Hunt has apologised to patients after tens of thousands of non-urgent operations were postponed in England.
The Health Secretary admitted there were "real pressures" facing the health service as NHS England urged hospitals to defer routine procedures until the end of January to free up hospital beds and staff, amid reports many hospitals were plunged into crisis over the festive period. The Health Secretary admitted there were "real pressures" facing the health service as NHS England urged hospitals to defer routine procedures such as hip replacements until the end of January to free up hospital beds and staff, amid reports many hospitals were plunged into crisis over the festive period.
Mr Hunt said the move was "absolutely not what I want". Mr Hunt said the move which could lead to up to 55,000 routine operations cancelled was "absolutely not what I want" but conceded that hospitals were under huge pressure from the ageing population and an spike in flu and respiratory diseases.
More follows… Meanwhile, Theresa May acknowledged the news was frustrating for affected patients but said the NHS was "better prepared for this winter than ever before".
  It comes as influential Conservative Dr Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons Health Select Committee, told the Government to "get a better grip" on the NHS.
Mr Hunt told Sky News: "There are real pressures, no doubt about it. This is the busiest week of the year for the NHS and the first thing I want to say is a massive thank you to NHS staff who are working incredibly long hours, throughout the night and beyond the call of duty in every possible way.
"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."
The move was revealed in new guidance from the NHS National Emergency Pressures Panel (NEPP) which told NHS trusts to cancel non-urgent operations to manage winter pressures.
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