Galway Bay fm newsroom - 1646 surgeries and procedures have been cancelled at UHG and Merlin Park hospitals in the first four months of this year.
769 of these cancellations were hospital initiated, while 877 were patient initiated.
Saolta officials say the reasons for cancellations are a combination of patient request, patient not clinically fit, hospital deferral or non-availability of a bed.
A meeting of the Regional Health Forum West also heard 18 agency staff across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon have been let go as part of a HSE pause on recruitment.
The recruitment pause is in place for three months and is now at week four.
Chief Officer at the Saolta group Tony Canavan told the meeting that the group 'pushed the boat out a little last year' in terms of recruitment.
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