The number of cancelled NHS operations has soared to the highest level for 13 years, shock figures reveal.

A total of 16,180 were scrapped in the three months to June, up from 15,650 for the same period last year.

The total is now at its highest level for a three-month period since 2002 when 20,833 ops were cancelled, according to the most recent figures available from NHS England.

A total of 16,180 operations were scrapped in three months to June, up from 15,650 for same period last year (Photo credit: Abel Mitja Varela)

The surge marks a fresh crisis for embattled Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and comes as thousands of patients are forced to endure long waits at A&E departments.

It marks also a 22 per cent rise since David Cameron became PM in 2010.

Many of those in need had operations cancelled due to a lack of hospital beds.

A total of 1,177 of patients who had their operation cancelled were not readmitted within 28 days – despite it being a cornerstone of the NHS Constitution – up from 5.1 per cent to 7.3 per cent in the same period.

Burnham “NHS has gone downhill on David Cameron’s watch.” (Photo credit: MEN)

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham seized on the worrying figures as more evidence of the Government’s mismanagement of the NHS.

“Far too many patients are suffering the distress of having their operation cancelled at the last minute,” he said.

“Many are not even having their operation re-fixed within a month as they are entitled to in the NHS Constitution.”

He went on: “This is yet another sign of how the NHS has gone downhill on David Cameron’s watch.”

According to the NHS Constitution, if a hospital cancels an operation at the last minute for non-clinical reasons, it should offer a new date within 28 days of the original one.

But many patients are not being offered an alternative within the time limit.

Earlier this month, hospital bosses were told to fill only “essential” vacancies to save cash in a further sign of the NHS financial crisis.

In a letter sent out to NHS Foundation Trusts, hospitals were warned that financial forecasts for 2015/16 were “simply unaffordable”, with chief executives urged to slash costs.