Guernsey hospital operations 'return to normal'

Operations at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital have returned to normal after disruption was caused by staffing and bed shortages.

Seven days of minor procedures, involving patients staying overnight, were cancelled over the past two weeks.

The Health and Social Services Department said it was working on rescheduling the cancelled operations.

It said it was been "extremely grateful" for the understanding and support of those patients affected.

Ed Freestone, senior manager, said: "It is not nice to have an operation cancelled and we regret that we were forced to do so, but the vast majority of the people we had to contact were very understanding."

He said the high number of emergency admissions and being 24 nurses short had put "considerable pressure" on the availability of beds.

Mr Freeston said: "We had no alternative but to prioritise emergency cases and the more serious procedures and to postpone those that were less urgent."

He said although the admission rate was now back down to a more normal level they would "continue to monitor the situation and adapt accordingly should the admission rate and bed availability vary."