Patients who have waited years for surgery and are battling pain have spoken out after a West Yorkshire trust closed its operating theatres due to coronavirus pressures.
A number of West Yorkshire hospitals today confirmed that they will be cancelling some operations after the number of Covid-19 patients soared once again.
Operating theatres will be closed in Pontefract, Dewsbury and Wakefield as Covid patient numbers have now exceeded levels close to the spring peak.
A recent statement shows Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield currently has 240 Covid-19 patients. This is up from 180 just last week, with the hospital expecting the numbers to continue to rise.
The hospital confirmed this is significantly higher than the first peak, back in April.
To relieve the pressure on staff, a number of operating theatres throughout West Yorkshire will be closed.
It comes just days after Leeds hospitals announced it would have to cancel some operations because of a dramatic rise in cases.
Stacey Greenfield is one of many West Yorkshire residents who had her operation cancelled.
Stacey has been awaiting surgery for a sports injury for just over a year and was made aware that her scheduled operation will now be postponed.
Stacey said: "It's definitely frustrating, very frustrating. I have waited a very long time for this and to now be told that it won't be going ahead after all of this, is annoying.
"But obviously, I understand the situation. People are dying, cases are getting higher and higher.
"They deserve priority, of course, it just feels disappointing how this has been handled."
One Castleford man said: "I’ve been on waiting list two years for major surgery, was told I would be in in the next few weeks. Now looking like next year unless I go via A&E. I don’t want to do but the pain at times is unbearable."
A statement from Yvette Cooper, MP for Castleford, Pontefract and Normanton, said: "Difficult news from Pinderfields last night. They now have 240 Covid patients - up from 180 at the beginning of the week and they are expecting the numbers to keep rising.
"That’s much higher than the peak of the first wave in April when they had 170 Covid patients.
"NHS staff are now under huge pressure and I want to thank them for the incredible job they are doing - especially after what has already been a tough year."
She said that in order to cope, Mid-Yorkshire Trust is turning more wards into Covid-19 wards and moving more anaesthetists, nurses and other staff in to support very ill patients.
As a result, they have had to close some of the operating theatres at Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields.
Local cancer and urgent surgery is still going ahead.
Outpatients and diagnostic appointments are still happening and the Urgent Treatment Centre, A&E, GP and maternity services are all open as normal.
However, Ms Cooper continued: "I have also been contacted by someone whose cancer surgery at Leeds has now been delayed because of Covid.
"Staff are very worried about rising cases and about the impact on care for other patients across the NHS too. Please take Covid seriously.
"I know that everyone is tired of things after a really difficult year, and it would have been far better if it hadn’t reached this point, but we all need to do our bit to support our NHS right now.
"We need our NHS to be there for all of us and our families whenever we need it and that means preventing Covid escalating out of control.
"Once again NHS and care staff are on the frontline in dealing with Covid. Time to support them and to thank them for the incredible work they do."
