NHS operating theatres ‘lose two hours a day’
The NHS could carry out 280,000 more operations each year if surgeons were stopped from leaving work early, a watchdog report has found.
Analysis of the operating theatres of 100 NHS trusts in England in 2016 found more than two hours a day were wasted on the average procedure list.
The NHS Improvement study said time was lost on avoidable factors, such as late starts for operations planned in advance.
A total of 1.64 million routine operations took place in 2016.
The study, which allowed for a five per cent time loss for last-minute cancellations, suggested better planning to reduce late starts and early finishes but said it was not a case of getting surgeons to work harder.
SIR – It is disappointing to hear once again that the bean-counters in the NHS believe more operations could be performed if the theatres were used more efficiently.
Late starts and early finishes were common in my 38 years as a surgeon, and problems are compounded by the diktats of managers in recent years.
Take, for example, the fact that most patients are admitted on the day of surgery. It is almost impossible to get an elderly patient into the hospital, undressed, prepped, clerked, bled, consented, correctly marked and into the anaesthetic room for an 8.30am hip replacement – even if there is a bed for them, the notes are available, there are sufficient nurses on shift, a porter on duty, junior staff to assist, a computer system working and a surgeon who hasn’t got fed up with having his time wasted and pushed off to his office to attend to the mountain of bureaucracy foisted on him.
I am now, thankfully, retired.
David Nunn
West Malling, Kent SIR – I wouldn’t dream of going abroad without health insurance. It’s time that people coming to Britain showed a health insurance certificate on arrival (report, October 24). No certificate, no entry. America does it effectively.
Bryan Law
Shabbington, Buckinghamshire
SIR – A few years ago I was involved in a traffic accident in Italy and received minor injuries. I was taken to hospital by ambulance and therefore treated free of charge. My daughter was also in the accident, and arrived at the hospital separately, but we asked for her to be given a check-up. This incurred a charge. The hospital was quick to demand credit card details and had a pay booth within the casualty department for that purpose.
The hospital staff certainly had no problems with their system.
Richard Parry
Dinas Powys, Glamorgan
SIR – It would be interesting to hear the experience of hospital staff in Northern Ireland, where they have been dealing with the problem of entitlement to NHS treatment since 1948.
From 1969 to 1970 I worked in a busy NHS dental practice in a border town. As a clinician I had no problems. The reception staff sorted all comers: those with a medical card received NHS treatment; those without, mainly from the Irish Republic, paid privately (about 50 per cent more than the NHS paid) so were very welcome.
Dr Patrick Ring
Southsea, Hampshire
SIR – What we are seeing in people going abroad for treatment (“Exodus as patients try to beat NHS wait”, report, October 23) is the exercise of patient choice. In many, if not most cases, the NHS and not the patient will be picking up the bill.
Contrary to the view expressed by Joyce Robins of Patient Concern, this is something to be applauded.
Ursula Starkie
London SW8