MORE than 570 operations were cancelled across Scotland in February due to cuts forcing hospitals to stretch their budgets to breaking point.

New figures published by health data provider ISD Scotland show that 571 operations were cancelled for non-clinical and capacity reasons in the month before last, representing 2.1 per cent of all operations.

Holyrood shadow health minister Monica Lennon MSP warned that poor hospitals were becoming a “grim norm” under Scotland’s SNP government.