Elective surgical postponements and cancellations in PACE2024: definitions, denominators, and case-mix in interpreting national service data. Comment on Br J Anaesth 2026; 136: 1925–34

The PACE2024 (Postponement and Cancellations in Elective Care 2024) study is a timely national evaluation of elective surgical postponements and cancellations. It encompasses participating NHS England trusts. Its main strength lies in its closeness to routine practice, capturing disruptions as recorded across hospitals with various booking systems. It also considers preoperative assessment pathways, theatre constraints, and local pressures. Consequently, PACE2024 can do more than just estimate the incidence of these events. It also helps to build a common language for elective surgical pathway data. To achieve this goal, it is crucial that operational details are made as interpretable as possible.