23 August 2011
University Hospitals Bristol shortlisted for national award
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust has been
shortlisted for a Health Service Journal award for its work in
improving the efficiency of the Trust's operating theatres.
In the first 12 months of implementing the Productive Operating
Theatre Programme, UH Bristol has saved £2 million by reducing out
of hours operating lists across its 26 operating theatres.
The theatre team behind the Productive Operating Theatre
Programme has been shortlisted along with seven other NHS trusts
across the country in the Efficiency in Acute Service Redesign
category of the inaugural HSJ Efficiency Awards.
The programme aims to improve patient experience and the
efficiency of theatres by making changes to the ways in which the
multi-disciplinary theatre team works. Surgeons, anaesthetists and
theatre staff have all worked together to make the programme a
success.
Sarah Nadin, Divisional Manger, Surgery Head and Neck Division,
says:
"To begin with we concentrated on the way in which theatre
lists and sessions are organised. We knew that by ensuring each
consultant was allocated with a fixed theatre session it would have
a marked effect on productivity and improve the smooth flowing of
the theatre day. By doing this we have halved our waiting list
initiatives.
"The theatre teams driving the Productive Operating Theatres
Programme have worked tirelessly with the programme, in striving to
improve the patient experience and safety of theatres, at the same
time as improving efficiency and the cost effectiveness of the
clinical services we provide. This is a real model of success that
we will be looking to roll out in other areas of the Trust."
Caroline Daley, Programme Lead at the Trust, said:
"We started the programme in 2010 following the success of our
productive ward programme which we implemented in over 47 wards
across the Trust. Such programmes empower the staff involved to
suggest more productive ways of working to improve the efficiency
of the service we provide to our patients.
"Theatre teams at the Bristol Eye Hospital have focussed on two
areas; they have designed and implemented a 'short notice protocol'
for cataract patients, whereby patients are brought in for their
operation with one hours' notice. Patient feedback has been
extremely positive and the principles are being rolled out across
the Trust.
"They have also significantly improved the number of operating
lists that start on time by reducing the number of last minute
issues they have to address before they can start. By making sure
that the right equipment is available and ensuring that the correct
first patient on the list has been prepared by ward staff, 99% of
operations in the last four months have started on time. Such
measures are helping both to improve patient experience and to
maximise theatre efficiency."
The team will find out if they have won on at the London Hilton,
Park Lane on 14 September.
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