King George Hospital in Ilford has set a new record after surgical teams completed 20 operations across three theatres in a single day.

The procedures took place on Saturday 1 August at the hospital’s Elective Surgical Hub, treating patients who had faced waits of up to 40 weeks. The previous record was 19 operations in one day.

The high-volume session included gallbladder, hernia and colorectal procedures and forms part of efforts by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust to reduce its surgical waiting lists.

A further 13 similar operations were carried out across two theatres during another high-volume session on Saturday 18 July, meaning 33 patients were treated across the two weekends.

Tackling longer waits

Around half of the 600 patients on the Trust’s general surgery waiting list require procedures including gallbladder removal or treatment for hernias, haemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Around three high-volume surgery days are planned each month, with a focus on patients who have been waiting the longest. Many patients can return home on the same day as their procedure.

Sandeep Kaul, robotic surgeon and colorectal lead, said the team wanted to increase what could be achieved at weekends through greater efficiency, careful patient selection and allocating more theatre time.

He said patients requiring these procedures can face longer waits while more urgent operations are prioritised, with some ending up in A&E because of pain. He added that teamwork across different specialities was key to treating more patients during the additional weekend sessions.

Making greater use of operating theatres

High-volume clinics and theatre sessions were introduced following the pandemic to help tackle waiting lists. Ward staff, theatre teams and administrative colleagues work together to complete a higher-than-average number of consultations or procedures.

Grouping similar and relatively straightforward operations together allows teams to reduce turnaround times and treat more patients.

A combination of robotic, laparoscopic and traditional open surgery was used across the two high-volume days. Robotic surgery allows a surgeon to control instruments and a camera from a computer console, while laparoscopic procedures also use smaller incisions and a camera.

Joyce Hartzenberg, Clinical Group Director of Operations for Surgery, said the high-volume, low-complexity programme was helping patients receive operations sooner while making better use of available theatres.

She said treating 33 patients across two weekends was helping to reduce waiting times as part of the Trust’s wider elective recovery programme.