Cancelled operations. A current problem in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Public concern has recently focused on the problem of cancelled operations. In order to investigate the extent of oral and maxillofacial surgery cancellations, the University of Manchester initiated a 12-month prospective audit of lost operating time. During 1990, 31% of planned operations were cancelled, while nearly 20% of operating lists were lost completely. With the exception of public holidays and theatre maintenance days, the commonest reasons for cancellation included financial cut-backs, nursing staff shortages and failure of patients to attend.