Horton 'Super Surgery Day' trial a success

Fifteen patients underwent day-case hernia surgery all within just nine hours

A trial for dealing with a number of patients needing a similar operation in one go will be explored further after a ‘Super Surgery Day’ at the Horton General Hospital was deemed a success.

Fifteen patients underwent day-case hernia surgery, all within just nine hours, during a single, high-efficiency theatre list. All surgeries ran smoothly and each patient was discharged on the same day.

Patients were seen in an outpatient clinic the day before for pre-surgery checks.

On the day turnaround time between each operation was effectively reduced to zero, with each operation taking around 25 minutes. This was made possible through meticulous planning and co-ordinated teamwork.

Its hoped the model could lead to reduced patient waiting times.

The trial received very positive feedback with one person writing “The staff and surgeon were very supportive” and another adding “The whole team put me at ease – friendly, respectful, and supportive throughout.”

Giles Bond-Smith, Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director of General Surgery in the Surgery, Women’s and Oncology (SuWOn) Division at OUH, said: “This successful ‘Super Surgery Day’ is a real achievement and reflects the outstanding dedication and efforts of our teams, as well as the careful planning behind the layout and logistics of the trial day.

“Building on this fantastic result, the team is now keen to explore this model further, with a continued focus on safety, sustainability, and long-term success.”

Mark Scarfe, Anaesthetics Consultant at OUH, said: “We saved three hours of work on the day by carrying out the pre-op clinic the day before. The ‘zero’ turnover and the positive feedback from patients reflect the team’s ability to deliver efficient, high quality, compassionate care. The Horton General Hospital is particularly well-suited to deliver this type of initiative, and was the obvious choice for the pilot.”