Nottingham hospitals to maximise theatre capacity and protect planned care this winter

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has committed to protecting planned care this winter to prevent pressures from seasonal illnesses having an impact on wait times.

This year, the trust started planning for winter earlier than ever to ensure elective procedures could continue throughout the winter months.

The plan includes initiatives such as the short-stay hip and knee replacement pathway, high-intensity theatre lists and dual operating theatres to maximise capacity and benefit patients.

Last month elective orthopaedic activity at the trust was at 124% of pre-Covid activity, compared with November 2019.

Jennifer Beaumont, deputy chief operating officer at the trust said: “One of our top priorities this winter is to continue planned care and procedures as much as possible.

“Winter is an extremely busy time for the NHS however it is a priority for us to maximise our theatre and outpatient capacity to continue to reduce waiting lists and improve patient experience.

“In previous years we have had to reduce elective operating capacity over winter due to bed pressures from emergency admissions.

"This year we have planned additional bed capacity so we can protect planned care to ensure procedures can continue.

“Our teams have worked incredibly hard to significantly reduce 65-week waits Trust wide and we are still on track to eliminate almost all orthopaedics 52-week waits by the end of March.

“We know how important it is to our patients to continue with planned care and reduce waiting lists as quickly and safely as possible.”

Last year, the trust introduced a short-stay hip and knee replacement pathway aimed at discharging patients on the same day as their surgery.

In the first six months of the pathway, 58% of patients were discharged from hospital within 24 hours of surgery, compared to only 10% before it was introduced.

The average length of stay following a hip or knee replacement has now reduced by over two days allowing us to increase operating capacity, reduce waiting lists and free up beds for other patients.

Benjamin Bloch, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, said: “The pathway continues to be a real success and is helping us maximise theatre capacity and continue with elective procedures as we head into winter.

“We first introduced the pathway to try to get patients out of hospital much more quickly because the best place to recover is at home.

“It’s great that we have also improved operating capacity helping us to reduce waiting lists and free up hospital beds for other patients who need them.

“If we can use our resources more efficiently and get more patients seen, then that can only be a good thing."

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