OPERATIONS OVERHAUL TO EASE WAITING LISTS

Report reveals new regional centres plan

WAITING lists could be reduced if plans for an overhaul of how operations are carried out get the green light.

Department of Health chiefs want to open regional centres where “less complex planned surgery and other appropriate procedures” can be carried out, alleviating pressure on hospitals.

However, an update published today warns that while the recommendations have been approved they are “subject to being allocated additional investment”.

If the cash is forthcoming the department will “commit to developing this new model of care” and by December 2020 more than 100,000 adult day cases requiring an operating theatre or procedure room will take place in the centres.

The document reveals the specialties to be treated will be general surgery including vascular, u r o l o g y , ophthalmology, ENT, gynaecology, orthopaedics and other relatively lowvolume procedures.

Today’s recommendations come a year after the The Elective Care Plan – Transformation and Reform of Elective Care Services was published.

The update reveals such centres are already in operation in other jurisdictions and “can reduce waiting times for planned care and provide a better experience for both patients and staff by making better use of available resources, and by organising these in a different, more efficient way”.

A clinically-led Task and Finish Group established last year found the centres have benefits including “more rapid assessment and better management of the acute surgical patient, more efficient throughput of patients, reduced elective surgery waiting lists – due in part to the more efficient use of operating theatres and in part to fewer hospital admissions”.

The document also includes a plan to “expand the range of minor surgical procedures that can safely and effectively be undertaken in a primary care setting thereby reducing referrals to hospital”.

It adds: “This service has already commenced in the Western Trust area, where approximately 500 general surgery patients per year have their surgery done in GP practices, rather than in hospital.”

Technological advances may also help alleviate the pressures on hospitals.

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