Shropshire Star

Operations increase at hospital

Operating sessions at a specialist hospital have come under the microscope to ensure the theatres are running at full capacity.

Published
Mark Brandreth

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, now updates its fortnightly theatre use each day and has seen an increase in both activity and in income.

However the changes to keep the operating theatres fully booked does mean that there are more, on-day cancellations, the NHS hospital trust board heard.

At a meeting of the trust on Thursday, medical director, Mr Steve White, told members of the planning that make sure operating sessions were being best used.

"We have looked at the number of cases on the list and seen increases in both activity and income," he said.

"There had been a slippage so we took action," he said.

The trust was told that each day the hospital's theatre activity is looked at in detail on both a coming fortnight basis and over six weeks.

The only drawback members heard was a possible increase in the number of on day cancellations of operations because of previous operations taking longer than expected.

There were 15 reportable cancellations on the day during the month of October.

Chief executive of the trust, Mark Brandreth, said that the increase in the use of the operation theatres was good to see.

"We are at near full capacity," he said.

"Even if we had additional theatre space and staff we could not increase activity because we are "maxed out" on bed space. It is very positive."

Staff at the hospital have also working to cut down the number of patients who have a delayed discharge from hospital so that more patients can be brought in.

Finance director, Craig MacBeth said increased activity had led to a strong financial surplus for the month of October which would help offset the hospital's current running deficit.