Almost a quarter of elective operations in England cancelled at last minute took longer than 28 days to rearrange

Figures revealed by Lib Dems also show cancellations not rescheduled within required 28 days doubled in nine years

Almost a quarter of elective operations in NHS hospitals in England that were cancelled at the last minute took longer than the required 28 days to rearrange, figures show.

They also reveal that the number of cancellations breaching the 28-day standard for a new date has more than doubled within a decade, from 9,000 in 2015-16 to 19,400 in 2024-25.