The Trust says beds are under "severe pressure"

Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, in Woolwich, south-east London, said elective surgery had stopped in January but should resume by the end of March.

A spokeswoman blamed a "significant and sustained" rise in emergency admissions that had caused waiting times for beds for A&E patients to increase.

All emergency surgery will still be carried out, the trust said.

In-patient and orthopaedic procedures are among those hit.

'Severe pressure'

The trust spokeswoman said the hospital would be facing a financial deficit this year - like many other trusts.

"The trust's decision to defer elective surgery however, is linked to a significant and sustained rise in emergency admissions, which has placed severe pressure on its beds," she said.

"The trust regrets that it has to take this course of action, however the situation is being reviewed constantly, and it is not anticipated that this situation will continue beyond March 2005.

"The trust would like to stress that we review, on a daily basis, all our elective surgery patients and are treating all clinically urgent patients, and those people who are within the maximum waiting time target."

We make no apology for ensuring patients in A&E are receiving faster treatment DoH spokesman

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Like every trust in the country, we expect Queen Elizabeth Hospital Trust to balance treating A&E patients with also treating patients on waiting lists within nine months.

"These decisions should be made on a patient by patient basis.

"It is regrettable if some patients' operations are postponed in favour of patients who are admitted through A&E.