HUNDREDS of operations were cancelled in Glasgow's hospitals because there was no surgeon or anaesthetist available.

Figures obtained by the Evening Times show that on 338 occasions over the past two years patients were told their planned procedure could not go ahead because of staff shortages.

A total of 279 operations were postponed within 48 hours of the scheduled date because there was no surgeon available and a further 59 were cancelled because there was no anaesthetist.

The data also shows that there was a 20% increase in the number of operations cancelled, from 153 in 2015 to 185 last year.

The main reason for ops not going ahead was because a surgeon was unwell with no cover available.

Last year, 31 procedures were postponed because of a ‘rota issue’ a problem that did not occur once in 2015, according to the figures which were obtained using freedom of information laws.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “For all operations postponed we will look to provide an alternative date as soon as possible and within the waiting time guarantee.”

The latest published figures show that in October last year, 8.8% of all planned operations were cancelled across NHSGGC, however only 1.6% were for non-clinical reasons such as bed or staff shortages.

The health board was unable to say how many outpatient appointments had been cancelled because there was no specialist available.

Last month (December) the BMA in Scotland called for action as the latest figures showed ‘worrying’ levels of consultant vacancies.

ISD Scotland statistics reveal that the consultancy vacancy rate is running at 6.9 per cent, up from 6.4 per cent at the same time last year.

Almost half (47 per cent) of these posts have been vacant for six months or more.

Scottish health secretary Shona Robison said the NHS workforce was at an all-time high, with record numbers of consultants, allied health professionals and nurses.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "We do our best not to postpone any planned procedures but, as with every other board across Scotland, when medical staff are unavailable due to sickness or compassionate leave, we do unfortunately sometimes have to reschedule non-urgent planned inpatient procedures.

"We make arrangements to re-book these patients as soon as possible at a date that suits them.

Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, Anas Sarwar MSP, said: “Staff shortages has meant increased pressure on every part of our health service - from nurses who say their workload is getting worse, to GPs who say their surgeries are understaffed.

“It has also impacted directly on patient care with operations cancelled due to a lack of capacity or more patients being sent for treatments in private hospitals at huge cost to the NHS."