Hospital managers could be so inundated by Millennium bug emergencies at the turn of the year 2000 that they might have to put operations on hold.

It is patients waiting for non-urgent operations who could be hit by the extended delays if, as feared, power and safety systems around the county collapse due to the bug affecting computers.

York District Hospital and North Yorkshire Health Authority chiefs are discussing how to deal with the possible rise in accidents due to failures on things like computerised machinery or transport due to the date bug.

Year 2000 cases could also include old people suffering from cold because of power failures caused by moving into the new millennium.

York Health Trust's deputy chief executive George Wood said: "We will make sure that we deal with all emergencies and urgent work, but it makes sense for that particular time to keep waiting list activity to the lowest possible level.

"We don't know what the millennium will mean for the number of emergencies and this would be just a precaution, to make sure that we deal with any eventualities."

The suggestion means that people who are waiting for non-urgent work at the turn of the century would need to remain on the waiting list to make room for any emergencies that may arise.

Any work that does need to be done will still be treated. But the plans are still on the drawing board, with no decision yet made.

Mr Wood said: "We have no idea what might happen when we get to the Millennium. We can't really judge the extent of the risk, but we have to be ready just in case.

"I think this is probably the right course of action to make sure that we can deal with all emergencies that might happen."

Hospital chiefs have already acted to ensure that the bug won't sweep through their computer systems with a £1.3m project, which will last for 18 months.

see COMMENT 'Wise precaution'

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