Just 187 scheduled elective operations took place this April, compared with 1483 in April last year, as the NHS focused on the pandemic.
One of those who had her procedure cancelled was Kerry McKeeman from Annan. She said: “I was due to get an operation on March 13, the hospital cancelled the night before.
“I can understand why because I have to sit with my foot up for two weeks and apart from refreshments and the loo, I am not allowed to move.
“With the covid virus I am quite happy to wait. “I am in pain all the time but the hospital has phoned me to tell me I’m a priority when the operations start up again.”
Meanwhile, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has praised the NHS and said that while the figures released are large, the cancellations of operations was the right thing to do. He said: “The huge drop in the number of operations carried out in the region in April, a fall of almost 90 per cent, is understandable given the focus of our NHS on tackling the Covid-19 crisis.
“This virus has impacted on every aspect of our lives but it has hit our healthcare services hardest.”
