Cataract operations delayed as ‘NHS runs out of money’

SpaMedica was contracted to carry out 2,000 eye operations this financial year and had performed 3,000 the year before.

NHS Somerset said it wanted to focus on other surgical areas such as orthopaedics, where the 18-week target was often exceeded.

NHS England has instructed Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to manage demand for operations by sticking to the number already agreed to as part of “Indicative Activity Plans”.

In a statement, the ICB said: “All providers – NHS and independent – operate under annual NHS budgets and referrals are managed within these contracted values.”

It explained that during the course of this financial year, NHS Somerset had introduced Activity Management Plans for some NHS and independent providers to make “best use of our available resources for all local patients”.

Those plans range in purpose from ensuring providers do not breach agreed budgets to making sure they increase activity to achieve planned levels, the ICB said.