Wednesday 27 July 2022
Day patient surgery, as opposed to elective inpatient surgery, is a key tool for HSC as it works hard to:
- reduce expanding waiting lists,
- reduce the secondary impact of COVID-19 (relating to conditions associated with delayed surgery or treatment),
- provide an environment that enables patients to attend the hospital with confidence, and
- meet patient's preferences for day surgery over inpatient care.
Day patient surgery needs to be accepted as the major contributor to the future of surgical services. According to the British Association of Day Surgery, it improves patient satisfaction, is highly cost-effective, improves efficiency and reduces the demand on inpatient beds.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in most of the elective surgery being suspended resulting in long delays for elective surgery. The recovery of elective surgery at the PEH depends not only on the needs to address the back log of patients now requiring treatment, but also the recognition that many patients remain increasingly reluctant to come into hospital.
Ciara Smith, Day Patient Unit Manager said:
'Since January, the Day Patient Unit has increased its opening hours 3 days a week from 7 am to 11 pm to enable more day patient cases to be completed each week. Thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of the staff in the Unit and our Medical Specialist Group colleagues, this pilot has been extremely successful and seen an increase in several surgical areas.'
We have also been able to facilitate those patients who come directly via the Emergency Department (ED) and require urgent day surgery enabling ED to see other patients in a timely manner and reduce the need for admission. '
The increase in day patient appointments has also reduced the number of surgeries that are postponed on the day (on the day postponements are generally as a result of a lack of a bed on a ward and/or staff illness).
Claire Rigler, Lead Nurse for Surgery said:
'We are delighted with the findings of this initial pilot and are pleased that we are able to continue to increase the opening hours of the Unit 3 days a week going forward. On these 3 days, following an analysis of the discharge times since January, we will now be open between 7 am and 10 pm.
Anyone offered a Day Patient appointment for surgery should not be concerned. Where appropriate, day surgery allows for a quicker recovery with less disruption to you and your home life and cuts the risk of hospital acquired infections.'
