More than 40 people a day were affected

Last year 16,000 patients were turned away from planned surgery.

That was a rise of almost 5,000 from the levels at the time of devolution.

Opposition parties blamed a lack of beds and too few trained staff for the figures.

However, the Scottish Executive insisted that it was doing all it could.

Poorest record

The executive figures showed that more than 40 people a day who expected operations in a Scottish hospital were either turned away or failed to turn up.

The statistics emerged in an answer to a parliamentary question lodged by the Scottish National Party.

Cancelled operations rose from 11,218 in 1998/99 to 16,055 in 2001/02.

Glasgow's hospitals had the poorest record, accounting for 5,656 cancelled operations in 2001/02.

The Victoria Infirmary cancelled 1,298 operations

Of those, 1,822 were at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and 1,298 were at the Victoria Infirmary.

An executive spokeswoman pointed out that patients could not be forced to turn up for appointments, and that staff sickness could have an effect.

"Regardless of the reason for the operation being cancelled, we expect it to be rescheduled as soon as possible, taking into account the clinical need," she said.

However, SNP health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon said it was wrong to try and blame patients for the failure of ministers.

"There is nothing in the figures that suggests this problem has got anything to do with people not turning up," she said.

"I really don't think we should take the excuses of the executive at face value."