Former Health board member Deputy Mike Hadley says a shortage of critical care beds and staff led to the recent cancellation of a serious operation on an acquaintance. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0829615)

LIFE-SAVING operations have been cancelled because of a shortage of intensive care beds and staff.

The Princess Elizabeth Hospital has 10 critical care beds, although it has been claimed that Guernsey needs at least 12.

Health and Social Services said that, where possible, operations were being rescheduled for within 28 days, but offered no guarantee.

Two ‘elective’ operations were cancelled on Wednesday because all seven intensive care beds – and two of the three high-dependency beds – were occupied.

And there have been ‘many occasions’ where the unit has been full in recent months.

‘It is unfortunate that some elective surgery has had to be delayed and we do not underestimate the distress this can cause to patients and their families,’ said a Health and Social Services spokesman.

‘However, all members of the critical care team and the departments who support the care of these patients are to be commended for the way in which they have managed the high volume of intensive care patients this week.’

Staff had worked extra hours and on their days off to ensure patients received safe care.

Depending on the level of care required by the existing patients and the need to admit emergency patients, bed occupancy often fluctuates throughout the course of a day.

‘On the occasions where the unit is full, there may be a knock-on effect on the provision of other services,’ said the spokesman.