Whipps Cross surgical hub achieves top clinical standards
We’re delighted that our surgical hub at Whipps Cross Hospital has been successfully accredited for delivering high standards in clinical and operational practice.
The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, run by NHS England, assesses surgical hubs against a framework of standards to help them deliver some of the most common surgical procedures, such as cataract surgery and urology procedures, more quickly. It also seeks to assure patients about the high standards of clinical care.
The GIRFT team visited the hub to evaluate five elements:
- the patient pathway
- staff and training
- clinical governance and outcomes
- facilities and ring-fencing
- and utilisation and productivity.
Becoming a surgically accredited hub ensures that patients have surgery in a dedicated space, reducing on-the-day cancellations and improving outcomes by standardising pathways and enhancing specialist expertise.
For staff it offers a well-governed working environment that encourages professional development across all surgical pathways and improves team cohesion and staff morale.
Undertaking around 12,000 operations per year, recent improvements to the service include:
- robotically assisted surgery was introduced 18 months ago ensuring the local population had access to the latest surgical techniques
- urology booster weeks to increase the number of urology patients passing through theatre
- ‘Sip till Send’ which allows patients to sip on fluids up until the time of surgery to increase their comfort and reduce the risk of dehydration.
John Peters, divisional director for surgery, said: "At Whipps Cross, our greatest strength is our people. Our surgical hub is powered by exceptional staff who are skilled, compassionate professionals. Their teamwork and commitment ensure that every patient receives safe, timely person-centred care. This is a centre of excellence for the local community and we are very proud of everyone that contributes to our surgical service."
Whipps Cross Hospital is one of 63 hubs to have been awarded accreditation to date. There are 123 hub sites currently in operation in England with a further nine hubs planned to open by the end of 2026.