A WAVE of protests have greeted a warning by the head of the NHS that patients will have to wait longer for routine operations.

One senior county councillor has slammed the announcement by Simon Steven, the health service’s chief executive.

And health bosses have also voiced concerns that his two-year blueprint will leave the sick facing unacceptable waits.

County Cllr Azhar Ali, the cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “What this Tory government expects is for people to be left waiting on trolleys in corridors for treatment.

“And when they need an operation they will have to wait for longer. If you are suffering from a serious illness you will only get medicines if you can afford it. People are just being left to rot and this plans sounds like it’s going to be a complete disaster.”

The Royal College of Surgeons has expressed fears an 18-week waiting target from referral to treatment has been 'jettisoned in all but name'.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has been performing well against the benchmark, achieving a 92.2 per cent rating against a 90 per cent standard for January.

But in a report Mark Johnson, the trust’s associate performance director, said: “High numbers of cancellations due to bed pressures have resulted in longer waits for elective surgery and there were two patients still waiting for treatment over 52 weeks at the end of February.”

Dr Amanda Doyle, chief officer for Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria, welcoming Steven’s plan, said: “The pressures the NHS is under are well-known and so making the best use of money, staff and resources we have is crucial.”

Campaigners for older people in Lancashire are also concerned moves towards operations being rationed will leave senior citizens at a disadvantage.

Paul Green, communications director for Saga, said: “The announcement waiting times for pre-planned operations such as hip and knee replacements, cataract removal and hernia operations are set to get longer will come as a body blow to many older people.”

Mark Porter, council chairman for the British Medical Association, said: “Achieving one delivery promise only by missing another is a textbook example of rationing access to care. It should not be happening in today’s NHS.”