A nursing shortage has forced Grey Hospital to postpone all non-urgent in-patient surgeries.
The hospital's general manager of secondary services, Chris Le Prou, said they would review the situation when nursing vacancies reduced.
Eleven elective operations were postponed this week, Mr Le Prou said.
"All patients will be rebooked, at this point we are unable to say when. The procedures (postponed) were a mix of general surgery and orthopaedics."
Urgent and day surgeries would continue as planned.
There are 30 nurse vacancies and several nurses on sick leave.
Mr Le Prou said Grey Hospital planned to use beds in Reefton and Westport Hospitals.
