A NEWPORT woman's vital cancer operation was cancelled at the Royal Gwent Hospital for the third time yesterday.

Sandra Lowe, 54, had been prepared for the major operation to remove her oesophagus and carry out reconstructive surgery when she was told it had been postponed.

An emergency meant that once again the intensive care bed Mrs Lowe needs after the three- to six-hour-long operation would not be available.

"She is very upset and at the end of her tether," said her husband, Mike, a Newport council worker, who was also distressed by yet another delay. "They are hoping it will go ahead today but there are no guarantees.

"I'm not hopeful - you can't stop emergencies," said Mr Lowe. "Something has got to be done. I know she is not the only one, other people's operations have had to be cancelled and there doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel."

A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare Trust said: "We are very upset that Mrs Lowe's operation could not go ahead, her surgeon is hopeful that it can be rescheduled for today, but cannot absolutely guarantee this.

"The hospital has been under considerable pressure this week and we can only apologise to Mrs Lowe and her family once again, but we cannot allow her post-operative care to be compromised in any way."

David Kenny, public involvement officer for Gwent Community Health Council, said: "We accept there are pressures on beds in Gwent, as elsewhere in Wales, because of the high level of emergency admissions, but that should be a challenge, not an excuse.

"I think people waiting for vital operations already have enough trauma without having those operations cancelled, and that is no way to treat people. There needs to be sufficient capacity in the system to ensure that people have access to the treatment they need when they need it."

Mr Kenny said that long-term planning was being undertaken to reconfigure hospital services, and that should have an effect on reducing pressures.

"But people cannot wait for long- term planning and I think it needs action now."

Mr and Mrs Lowe, of Gaer, spoke to the Argus last week after Mrs Lowe's operation was cancelled for the second time.

The grandmother of four was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in October and had two cycles of chemotherapy to shrink the tumour before undergoing surgery.

She was admitted on January 17 in preparation for surgery two days later, but it was cancelled when she was on the trolley, leaving the ward for theatre. A week later, the surgery was called off the day before.

Mr and Mrs Lowe asked Rosemary Butler, Newport West AM, to take up their case last month.