Pennine Acute Hospitals focus on theatres to improve quality

Pennine Acute Hospitals focus on Theatres to improve quality

As part of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s new five year Quality Strategy, unveiled last month, a major focus has started in driving up quality, efficiency and improving the patient experience in its operating theatres through a new staff-led improvement programme called 'Transforming Theatres'.

The Trust, which runs Rochdale Infirmary, North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and The Royal Oldham Hospital, runs 39 operating theatres in total (main theatres and day surgery theatres) across its four sites.

Thousands of planned and emergency operations are carried out every year. The Trust’s theatres are very much seen as the “engine rooms” of its hospitals and cater for patients who need surgery in specialist areas, including orthopaedics, gynaecology, Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT), genitor urinary medicine, vascular surgery, gastroenterology, children’s, ophthalmology, maxillofacial and head, neck and oral surgery.

Within the Trust’s operating theatres, the most basic and complex surgical procedures take place by highly skilled surgeons supported by teams of anaesthetists, nurses and many other staff , for both day case and elective (planned) patients, bringing together the clinical expertise and resources to provide the best outcome for patients.

The Trust’s new Transforming Theatres programme is looking at the efficiency of use of its operating theatres, pre-operative assessment services and cancellation rates in an effort to improve the quality of care for patients.

Bhaskar Saha, consultant anaesthetist and clinical director at The Pennine Acute Trust, said: “Good performing theatres need the right patient, at the right time, in the right theatre, with the right staff, using the right equipment, in the right way. This is a major focus for us all.”

David Sherlock, clinical director for general surgery, added: “Transforming Theatres is about maximising the use of our operating theatres and surgery sessions, ensuring sessions start on time at every site, identifying savings in time and money, while ensuring that the way they are run does not compromise patient safety but overall improves quality of care and the patient experience.

“This improved efficiency will ensure patients have their operation on time and reduce inconvenience from cancellations. Not only will this improve patient experience and satisfaction, but will also reduce waste and save the Trust money.”

‘Transforming Theatres’ is also building on from its harm free care work to make surgery safer and includes the use of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist. Patients will see the benefit as surgery becomes even safer, with staff avoiding clinical variation and applying standardised methods and processes in theatres – ensuring patient safety and quality of care are at the forefront of everything they do.

A large majority of elective (or planned) general surgery for patients across Pennine is carried out at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury.

In August 2012, the Trust opened a new specialist cardiology Silver Heart Unit at Fairfield General Hospital for patients with coronary heart disease and complex heart problems. The unit includes two new Cardiac Catheterisation Labs (theatres) located in a dedicated unit that provides a range of complex diagnostic and enhanced specialist interventional cardiology procedures for patients.

In November 2012, the Trust opened its new women and children’s unit at The Royal Oldham Hospital which includes new obstetric theatres, and in January this year, the Trust opened two specialist ophthalmology operating theatres in its new Eye Unit at Rochdale Infirmary.

Many operations and procedures can now also be carried out at the day surgery unit at Rochdale Infirmary. The unit is run by a team of doctors, nurses and support staff and operates six theatres and five treatment rooms. Patients are treated at the day surgery unit who undergo a range of day surgical procedures including general surgery, orthopaedics (such as feet, knees, shoulders, hands), gynaecology, hernia, urology and gall bladder operations, and some community dental surgery. The unit also provides a pain service and a rapid gynaecological service for women and bladder cancer diagnosis.