A study carried out by The Royal College of Surgeons has found that patients with broken hips are facing “unacceptable” waiting times for surgery in some NHS hospitals.
The findings, reported in the Yorkshire Post, were based on an audit of 129 hospitals and revealed major variations in access to surgery. In some centres, only 55% of patients underwent operations within the recommended 48 hours due to various delays.
In Yorkshire, surgeons in Harrogate, York and Sheffield operated on 93-94% of patients within two days. However, in Hull and Leeds the number of people having procedures within the target time dropped by almost a third to 63%. The delays were blamed on waits for operating theatres or beds, staff shortages and patients not being medically fit.
The report also identified significant variations in lengths of hospital stay, which is likely to be a key focus area for Trusts as they try to reduce costs. In Scunthorpe, patients left hospital after treatment for hip fractures in 12 days, but in Sheffield the average was 26 days.
Therefore, as the concern over prolonged surgery waiting times increases and with mounting pressure on the NHS to maintain high-quality care, it’s vital that Trusts identify exactly how efficiency can be improved and resources maximised. Ardentia’s Theatre Performance Module gives managers and clinicians a powerful and flexible means of monitoring and reporting on operating theatre sessions, enabling them to better manage theatre utilisation and improve patient experience.
By drilling down into each theatre session, managers and clinicians are able to closely investigate the reasons behind delays and make informed management decisions to optimise theatre management.
