THE junior doctors’ strike, a norovirus outbreak and staff sickness have been blamed for 232 operations being postponed at Bournemouth and Poole hospitals since the start of the year.

As well as 128 elective surgeries being rescheduled at Poole Hospital, the trust confirmed a day case unit was being used for new admissions as medics prioritised patients coming into the emergency department.

And at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital chief operating officer Richard Renaut confirmed 104 operations have been postponed.

It comes as an independent review says delays in discharging patients out of hospital, could be costing the NHS in England £900m a year.

“We have seen an increase in demand on our services this winter, with many frail and elderly patients with complex needs being admitted to our hospital,” Mr Renaut said.

“There has also been a national strike by junior doctors and an increase of norovirus in the community that has affected several of our wards.

“As a consequence, since the new year, we have had to postpone 104 planned operations and are working hard to rearrange these operations as soon as possible.”

Poole Hospital’s medical director Robert Talbot said his trust is “experiencing sustained and exceptional demand” with staff sickness also among the reasons for postponements.

“We would like to apologise to those who have had their planned procedure rearranged, and would like to reassure these patients that we work very hard to reschedule appointments as soon as possible,” he said.

One of the affected patients is 43-year-old Lisa Lawley, who told the Echo she has been waiting 15 weeks to have her gallbladder removed at Poole Hospital.

The mum-of-three first fell ill with gallstones in October and said she has now been informed it could be May or June before she has the procedure.

“I am in limbo at the moment – I really need to find work but I am just not fit enough,” said Mrs Lawley, a care worker.

“I have to take medication every day. I am stuck on a strict, less than three per cent fat diet to minimise the risk of further gallbladder attacks - and I will not be fit and well again until I have the operation.

"The hospital has not explained how it plans to manage the huge backlog of surgery. I think waiting patients have the right to know.”

And 33-year-old Jennifer Garside said Poole Hospital called her at 4.30pm the day before she was set to undergo an abdominal hysterectomy operation to treat her uterine fibroids.

There is a 12 week recovery period and the business student is eager to be well enough to return to her Bournemouth University course in September.

“I don’t understand why the management couldn’t have let me know sooner," she said.

Manager of Healthwatch Dorset, Martyn Webster, said: “We all understand that patients needing emergency treatment or procedures need to be prioritised over non-urgent cases.

“But we shouldn’t forget that very many of those non-urgent cases are people who have already had to wait a long time and put their lives on hold while they wait, often in pain or discomfort.

“Further postponement will cause them even more anxiety and distress.

“Our whole NHS, including hospitals, is facing unprecedented challenges and pressures. There’s been a lot of talk about how to address those challenges and reduce the pressures. The talk needs to be turned into action - urgently."