The hospital is struggling due to a lack of intensive care unit beds

Pressure on resources has led to the cancellation of about seven operations at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Vale deputy Dave Jones, who was one of those who had an operation cancelled, said he would back the Board of Health if they asked for more resources to help solve the problem.

But his biggest concern was over the lack of intensive care unit beds.

He said he believed the hospital had only three intensive care unit beds, and one other which it used in dire emergencies.

'Deep concern'

"I don't believe three intensive care unit beds for a population of 60,000 is anywhere near enough and it deeply concerns me," he said.

"When those beds are effectively blocked because the people who are in them obviously need to stay where they are, and they have to start cancelling other people's operations, then I think that is unacceptable."

President of the Board of Health, Deputy Peter Roffey, said postponements of operations were not typical.

He added that plans were in the pipeline for a cash injection of up to �4m this summer.

He said: "These things need to be planned extremely carefully and it would not do us any favours to make short cuts."

But Deputy Jones said the disruption and distress for patients should not be allowed to continue and he would be tabling questions on the Board of Health's expenditure.