Health authorities will launch a review at a major regional hospital following explosive patient care breach claims, according to reports.

The alleged breaches at Orange Hospital include downgrading the urgency of cancer patients and delaying surgery without clinical justification, according to the ABC.

Doctors said that a number of surgery recategorisations had contravened NSW Health policy.

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“When I’ve rocked up on the day I’ve seen a different category against these patients’ names,” surgical department director Dr Rob Knox told 7.30.

“So I’ve questioned (hospital) management and said, ‘Well hang on, what’s happened here’?”

Knox said surgeries which needed to be done within 30 days had been changed to say patients were “not ready for care”.

Knox claimed senior management “dug in their heels and they’ve said, ‘Actually no, we’re allowed to do this’.”

He said he and other surgeons began documenting issues, and had been asked to change patients’ urgency status so they did not breach recommended wait times.

The Western NSW Local Health District told the ABC it “rejects claims that surgeons have been asked to reclassify surgical procedures and prioritise waiting list targets over patient care”.

“The five options described in NSW Health policy to assist in managing patients within the required timeframes are activated where possible but may be affected by … the availability of surgical and other staff, appropriate theatre facilities,” a spokesperson said.

NSW Health is preparing to review the recategorisation of surgeries undertaken at Orange Hospital, according to the ABC.

State Health Minister Ryan Park said he had been assured by the hospital that it was complying with clinical guidelines but would launch an investigation if they were broken.

“I want to be clear that shouldn’t be happening,” Park told 7.30.

“If there are issues where that has not been the case, then I’d want them investigated.”