Super lists launched for patients awaiting urology or ENT surgery
Our urology and ear, nose and throat (ENT) services at Whipps Cross hospital have resumed tackling their waiting lists for non-complex planned surgeries, following its suspension in response to the pandemic.
While the focus and resource had to be directed to very sick patients with Covid-19 and urgent patients during the pandemic, the number of patients waiting for an operation significantly increased to the highest it has been for two years. To help reduce this backlog, the plan is to launch a series of high-volume low-complexity (HVLC) hubs within specific specialties that will allow patients to have their surgery quicker.
Urology consultant, James Green says: “The launch of a HVLC hub for urology is a welcomed development and should provide the much needed investment and resources. This should help the thousands of patients who have had their operations delayed by the pandemic.”
In preparation, we have classified patients according to the urgency of the treatment they require, giving priority to services with the most significant waiting lists. ENT, ophthalmology, urology, orthopaedics and gynaecology are the top five specialities that account for a third of the total waiting list.
Whipps Cross will develop expert hubs in urology, ENT and ophthalmology. This will mean that these patients from Newham and The Royal London hospitals will gradually be moved to Whipps Cross for their surgery.
Senior theatre nurse, John Peak notes: “Patients with less complex surgeries in these areas will now be seen quicker and can be discharged home, in most cases, on the same day. This contributes to a better patient experience and journey.”
The common aim of all providers across north east London is to create high-volume low-complexity hubs in those areas which are of most benefit to the majority of those patients who are waiting. Our hubs at Whipps Cross will be matched by the on-going development of speciality hubs in orthopaedics at Newham hospital, complex surgery at The Royal London hospital, and heart and cancer surgery will continue to be provided by St Bartholomew’s hospital. Local hubs are also being developed for general surgery and gynaecology at King George Hospital in Ilford and the Homerton hospital.
ENT consultant, Kiran Jumani, explains: “With thousands of patients waiting more than 18 months for planned surgery, the HVLC programme is aimed at supporting elective recovery and development of standardised patient pathways across regions.
“‘Super lists’ as they are called shall incorporate procedures that require no particular expertise and could be performed by any ENT consultant in large volumes increasing the throughput but maintaining the safety standards as it is the same procedure being performed continually and allows us to set up a watertight clinical pathway for these patients.”
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