To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guarantees of further treatment are given to patients whose operations are cancelled at the last minute. [130316]

Since 1 April 2002, the NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee has been in place. It states:

"if a patient's operation is cancelled by the hospital on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice".

Since 1 April 2003, the guarantee covers those patients who are cancelled 'at the last minute', that is, on the day patients are due to arrive or after arrival in hospital or on the day of their operation.