Posted on 30th Oct
A state-of-the-art operating theatre has opened at Newark Hospital, meaning that patients across mid-Nottinghamshire and parts of Lincolnshire can benefit from shorter waiting times for a range of operations.
Members of the Hospital’s Theatres team were joined by colleagues from across Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, which operates the hospital, for the landmark occasion.
Operations in the new theatre will focus on delivering more orthopaedic activity, mainly focusing on the more simple hips, knees, hand and wrist procedures — including total hip and knee replacements.
Additional slots for general surgery, breast surgery, gynaecology, and ophthalmology will also be available across the Newark theatre complex.
The Newark site is separated from the trust’s emergency pathway that is delivered at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, which allows surgical teams at Newark Hospital to focus on planned procedures. This means the site is less affected by cancellations that can occur, for example, due to winter pressures, industrial action, or patients who need emergency surgery.
The project, known as the Newark Elective Hub, received £5.6m from NHS England’s Targeted Investment Fund (TIF), with the aim of delivering up to 2,600 more operations and procedures each year.
It has created around 30 new medical, nursing and clinical support roles.
Patients living not just in Newark and Sherwood, but in surrounding areas including Mansfield, Ashfield, and parts of Lincolnshire are being encouraged to take advantage of the extra appointments by asking their GP or hospital team if they can have their treatment at Newark Hospital.
David Ainsworth, director of Strategy and Partnerships at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “Patients who are generally fit and well and meet the criteria to have their operation at Newark Hospital will automatically be offered an appointment there.
“They can expect to receive the same high-quality care and treatment from our skilled, knowledgeable, dedicated and friendly teams as they would at King’s Mill Hospital.
“The theatre is great news, not only for patients in our local communities, but also for our Newark Hospital colleagues working across a range of teams. It will provide greater job satisfaction, helping us to attract and retain the very best colleagues.”
As part of the project, work is under way to upgrade facilities in two existing treatment rooms and the medical day case unit.
