Patients and colleagues at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) have enthusiastically welcomed a new £15 million Surgical Hub at Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal.
In a recent anonymous survey of their experiences in the operating department at WGH, patients described the new facilities as “excellent”, “first class” and “outstanding”, and the teams as “caring”, “so thoughtful”, “lovely and friendly”, “reassuring and supportive”, “respectful”, “professional” and “absolutely brilliant”.
One patient said: “The operating theatres at Kendal have a lovely environment. The facilities are all new, and all the staff are welcoming and friendly”. Another said they had experienced a “wonderful, clean immaculate theatre”.
The operating theatres department at WGH is now double the size, with two brand new theatres, three refurbished operating theatres and associated clinical rooms. It has taken five years to complete the huge project with the aim of improving care, treatment, waiting times and experience for patients. This major investment at WGH sees UHMBT’s strategy - ‘Putting Patients First’ – in action.
News of the Surgical Hub at Kendal has attracted highly skilled and experienced theatres professionals. During a recent recruitment drive, clinicians said they were drawn by the offer of top-class facilities and a state-of-the-art working environment.
The department at WGH has more than 80 colleagues and the WGH theatres provide elective (planned) care. There is a new four storey extension, an enormous new plant room with high-tech air handling systems, an expanded Operating Theatres Recovery Area and ‘ultra clean’ canopy technology for infection prevention in all theatres as well as new support spaces, storage and ancillary spaces.
Amanda Murdock, a Clinical Theatres Manager at WGH, said: “We are delighted with the outcome. It makes such a difference having a modern and fresh work environment. It is very comfortable for patients and colleagues.
“When we were recruiting recently, we had 10 very experienced and highly trained candidates who all wanted to work here. We could have filled the roles several times over. We also ‘grown our own’ theatres colleagues by giving colleagues opportunities to upskill and progress in their careers.”
Laura Adderley, Theatres Matron at WGH, said: “I am immensely proud of our new state-of-the-art theatre department - what a difference!
“It is unrecognisable to what was before. It has been a long journey to get here and the disruption during the build was challenging, however we worked with the Capital Services Team, always having patient care in the forefront of our minds and this was never compromised. The new theatres and refurbishment mean we now have some of the most modern systems available to help our teams work safely and effectively to provide operations for many years to come. The end result is amazing, and we are excited to welcome patients to our department. We now have a department that reflects who we are.”
Gary Parsons, a Senior Operating Department Practitioner at WGH, said: “They are the nicest operating theatres in the North West! In my role, it’s my responsibility to greet our patients and to check them in. The feedback we’ve had from our most recent patient survey has been phenomenal. Patients love coming here because it is so calm and peaceful. The comments have been lovely. People have said they felt safe, secure and at ease. It’s an ideal scenario.”
Mr Saurabh Odak, a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics at WGH, said: “I think the new Surgical Hub is brilliant. The theatre I work in is very spacious – it is by far the biggest theatre I’ve seen in my career. The theatres are bigger and better which means the outcomes and experience for patients will be better. I love working here and I love working with the staff. It is very friendly and accommodating in general. I have everything I need for my patients.”
Simon Feather, Project Engineer for the Capital Services Team at UHMBT, said: “It’s great to see the finished product after five years. All of the theatres have been brought up to the correct modern standards. The amount of disruption for staff was huge because we had to constantly move people to different locations around the building, but we ensured there wasn’t any impact for patients. It was a huge team effort, and we are very happy with the result.”
Daniel Bakey, Divisional Director for the Surgery and Families Division at UHMBT, said: “We are delighted to have modern, purpose-built theatres that are fit for the 21st Century. One of the main advantages of the development is that we will be able to support more routine, urgent and cancer surgery. We have already undertaken a significant exercise to redesign our theatre timetable and have delivered a project to reduce length of stay for hip and knee replacements.
“Improving quality and efficiency will mean our patients have shorter waits for surgery, will be more likely to go home on the same day, and will be less likely to need additional treatment after surgery. As the development is separate from emergency services, WGH’s surgical beds will be kept free for patients waiting for planned operations.
“We would like to thank our capital teams for coordinating this work and for the patience and support of many colleagues across the entire WGH site during this significant project. Whilst a long time in the making, we are very proud of this modern facility and the benefits it provides to our population.”