Health bosses are however working on providing individual responses to patients, who turned to The Bolton News for answers after being told that the controversial ‘funding pause’ meant their procedure could not be carried out as planned, after being referred by the NHS to a private hospital.
The patients say they have been ‘left in limbo’ following the cancelations, as NHS Greater Manchester cites financial pressures and high demand.
The investigation
Since December 2025, The Bolton News has been investigating an NHS funding pause that has resulted in the cancellation or postponement of dozens of elective operations.
All patients who contacted us had operations scheduled at The Beaumont Hospital on Chorley New Road.
Between November and January, they were informed their procedures had been cancelled and that they would “find out more in April.”
Many described the ongoing uncertainty as “frustrating” and “stressful,” highlighting the impact of the pause on their daily lives.
All three Bolton MPs have voiced concerns to The Bolton News over the postponement of NHS-funded procedures.
Kirith Entwistle MP has been at the forefront of raising concerns about the pause, sharing constituents’ stories and raising issues with the Department of Health and Social Care as well as NHS Greater Manchester.
“Patients shouldn’t have to deal with disruption and uncertainty when it comes to their own health care,” said Ms Entwistle (Image: Office of Kirith Entwistle MP)
Ms Entwistle sent a letter to NHS Greater Manchester on February 11 and has since received a response.
The letter, from the Acting Chief Executive of the ICB, began: “I am sorry to hear of the upset of your constituents and completely understand that they will be concerned about delayed or cancelled procedures.”
It went on to explain that the NHS Greater Manchester Patient Team is “working to provide individual responses” to Ms Entwistle’s enquiries on behalf of constituents.
“Regrettably, it has taken some time for us to receive detailed responses to enable us to provide a tailored response in each case but please rest assured that we will provide individual responses as soon as possible,” the letter read.
When The Bolton News spoke to patients at the time their procedures were cancelled or postponed, all said they had only received information through The Beaumont Hospital and had not heard from NHS Greater Manchester directly.
The letter explained: “NHS GM is currently facing significant financial pressures and high demand for the healthcare services we commission.”
It added that: “Some independent hospitals providing routine care (elective / non-urgent care) to patients across Greater Manchester have been asked to temporarily delay new routine NHS referrals, as well as starting new NHS treatment pathways, until March 31, 2026.”
It described this as a “temporary measure NHS GM has taken as part of our wider approach to managing waiting lists and capacity”.
The letter also stated: “When a patient is referred to an independent hospital their appointment may be delayed, or the hospital may not be able to book an appointment straight away.”
In February, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This government has cut waiting lists by more than 330,000, with hundreds of thousands more people treated within 18 weeks. That’s not happening by chance – it’s because we delivered record levels of care in 2025” (Lucy North/PA) (Image: Lucy North/PA)
The government’s elective reform plan pledges to meet the NHS standard that 92 per cent of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks for treatment by the end of the Parliament.
The latest NHS consultant-led referral-to-treatment data shows the total waiting list decreased by 86,000 in November 2025, leaving 7.31 million people on the list.
However, according to the Royal College of Surgeons of England: “While the reduction is welcome, performance remains off track to meet the Government’s pledge to restore the 18-week standard.”
Discussing the cancelled operations, the letter said: “If a patient already has an appointment booked, they may be contacted by the hospital to say it has been delayed or postponed.
“These temporary restrictions do not apply to cancer referrals, urgent or time-critical care, emergency care, or ongoing treatment that has already started.”
However, many patients we have spoken to report “debilitating pain” and feeling that their “life is on hold” while waiting for a new date, alongside “anxiety of symptoms worsening.”
Carl Goodwin from Middle Hulton was told his double knee operation was cancelled just 24-hours before he was set to undergo surgery (Image: Carl Goodwin)
“Where it has been necessary for an independent hospital to cancel a patient’s appointment or procedure, the hospital will contact them again to re-book the appointment when funding becomes available, or they will be contacted with alternative arrangements,” the letter read.
“A definitive timeframe cannot yet be given for this; however, I would like to assure you that affected patients will be contacted as soon as more information is available.”
Ms Entwistle has been contacted for her comments regarding the letter from Greater Manchester ICB.
Katherine Sheerin, chief commissioning officer at NHS Greater Manchester, told The Bolton News: “We recognise that any delay to planned care is disappointing and concerning for patients and we apologise for the impact this is having.
“These temporary measures have been taken in response to significant demand to help manage waiting lists and overall capacity.
“This is a short-term approach and affected individuals should be contacted by their provider as soon as possible with updates or alternative arrangements.
“Cancer, time-critical care, and ongoing treatment that has already started remains unaffected and we are working with providers to minimise disruption.”
If you have not done so already, please contact grace.williams@newsquest.co.uk to share your story.
If you have already been in contact, we highly encourage you to keep us in the loop as and when your operation date is rescheduled.