Millions extra for tonsil ops

More and more patients are waiting to have their tonsils removed

Millions of pounds have been released to tackle the backlog of thousands of patients waiting for tonsil operations.

Tonsillectomies were suspended in January 2001 because of concerns that surgical instruments could cause a spread of the human form of mad cow disease.

Some medics feared that variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD) could be transmitted by re-usable surgical instruments - even if normal sterilisation procedures were followed.

On Wednesday, Welsh Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt said new disposable surgical instruments had been developed, and an extra £3m would help clear the backlog.

Surgery re-started in July this year. and according to hospital waiting lists figures also published on Wednesday, the number of patients waiting to have their tonsils removed had increased over the last 12 months.

During a visit to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff Ms Hutt said: "Our primary focus with tonsillectomies has always been patient safety."

"We stopped using re-usable instruments because of the risk of vCJD.

"A new range of disposal instruments had to be developed which were of suitable quality and now we have these in sufficient quantity to treat the backlog of operations, we can start to make a real difference in reducing the number of patients waiting."

Health Minister Jane Hutt: "Our primary focus is patient safety."

Following fears over vCJD, hospitals were told to use single-use, disposable instruments instead, but senior consultants had concerns about the safety of the new equipment.

In England, hospitals started using the conventional instruments again, but Welsh hospitals were not allowed to.

Ms Hutt said she realised it had been a difficult time for patients but her aim was to ensure that they were treated safely.

"The additional funding I am announcing today will address the backlog of patients waiting for tonsillectomies as a result of safety issues," she said.

"Today's announcement will help ensure that patients are treated as quickly as possible."

According to the latest waiting list figures, the number of people who have been waiting for more than 12 months for a bed has risen by 1.1% to 8,826 over the last year.

Including the amount of patients waiting for tonsillectomies the number has risen to 12,863 - an increase of 1.8%.