A HEALTH board meeting has revealed that a number of operations have been cancelled at Princess Alexandra Hospital.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Essex Health and Well Being Board on Wednesday November 18th.

Chair Councillor John Spence asked if “the temporary suspension of operations at Harlow hospital was over now?

Jane Halpin of West Essex CCG said: “Princess Alexandra has had to cancel a small number of planned elective surgeries that should have started this week because of the pressures…..

“Fifteen cases were cancelled. We are working very closely with the Trust to try and ensure that cancellation risk is minimised and equally that patient safety is minimised and keep that under very close review”.

The matter of annual health checks was also referred to. Cllr John Spence told the committee that only 6,000 annual health checks had been undertaken compared to last years figure of 45,000.