Minor surgery may be taken out of theatres, says NHS

OPERATIONS, including cataract removal, should be taken out of theatres to boost capacity, NHS bosses have said.

In a letter to hospital trusts, NHS England said that “enhancing and expanding the capacity of our workforce” was essential to clearing the Covid backlog.

In a package of measures to tackle the workforce crisis, it also urged for retiring and recently retired doctors to be asked to continue working part time or from home in virtual wards.

According to the General Medical Council there are 21,000 doctors due to retire in September.

The NHS has estimated it has a staff shortage of around 110,000.

It comes after the Government increased National Insurance payments to fund the recovery of health and social care. NHS bosses said workforce planning must optimise surgical hubs and maintain patient flow in hospitals.

Low-risk operations could include cataract removal, hand surgery and varicose vein removal.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England said it supported the move “because it should free up [theatre] space for more complex operations”.