Trust pilots fast-track surgical lists
The trust is piloting ‘high intensity’ surgical lists to help reduce the backlog of patients that built up during the Pandemic.
The first surgical list cleared 30 young patients with ear, nose and throat conditions with two theatres working back-to-back over a weekend.
Patients, who are given a fortnight’s notice, are allowed home the same day with the lists focusing on procedures with the least risk of complication.
Dr Viv Sathianathan, LNWN Divisional Medical Director for Surgery, said: “Paedeatric ENT is one of the areas with the biggest backlogs with some patients having waited several years.
"We’re piloting several ‘high intensity’ lists in the hope that we can expand the initiative to included other types of surgery.”
Parents and children have given the service the thumb’s up saying the weekend lists avoid youngsters having to miss school, avoiding childcare costs as well as better attendance rates as appointments are given at short notice.