THE number of operations cancelled at the last-minute in NHS hospitals increased by nearly 2,500 at the end of last year, figures revealed today.

But they show that patients in the North-East were less likely to have operations cancelled at short notice than in many other parts of the country.

In the period October to December, 17,402 operations were cancelled at short notice for non-clinical reasons.

This was up from 14,931 between July and September, an increase of 2,471.

But the figure was down slightly compared with the same quarter in 2003, when there were 17,782 last-minute cancellations.

A total of 350 last-minute cancellations for non-clinical reasons took place within the area covered by the Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA).

Another 295 occurred in the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA territory; in the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA area there were 504 cancellations.

The average number of cancellations during this period across all 28 SHAs was 621. The highest number of cancellations were in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgshire (1,107).

The Department of Health said the increase seen in October to December was in line with seasonal trends.

Health Minister John Hutton said: ''The vast majority of NHS patients are experiencing faster access to treatment and we are increasing capacity in the NHS to further minimise the possibility of operations being cancelled.''

But Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: ''Labour's target culture and bureaucracy often overrides patients' needs.

''It is unacceptable that over 17,000 operations are cancelled due to bureaucracy."