A top private hospital has made a major \u00a3330,000 investment in a new-look Day Care Centre.<\/p>\n
The Spire Murrayfield Hospital, near Heswall, on the Wirral, has just opened the refurbished facility and it is already seeing an increase in same day operations carried out on the new day care ward by their specialist team.<\/p>\n
In the first week alone 108 operations were carried out with some patients getting home within two hours.<\/p>\n
Spire Murrayfield carries out over 8,500 operations a year and more than 5,500 patients go home the same day.<\/p>\n
Consultant Vascular Surgeon Mr Leith Williams, who also practices at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said: \u201cThis represents a major investment in what is becoming an expanding and important area of work which helps patients spend a much shorter period of time in hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe facilities are improved and it means the system works far better because we have more beds and better segregation of men and women which is important in maintaining dignity and safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also means that we can get to patients even more quickly and provide them with the treatment they need, it\u2019s better, cheaper and safer and ultimately people would sooner be at home than in hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe now see that between 60 and 70 per cent of the operations we carry out are day cases which means they go home the same day they come in which is better for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost are here less than five hours, some leave within two hours and even if a patient has a general anaesthetic they can still go home the same day \u2013 as long as they don\u2019t drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt all helps in delivering the high quality service which our patients deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
The most common treatments include varicose vein removal, gall bladder removal, simple gynaecological procedures, ophthalmic and orthopaedic operations, including keyhole surgery.<\/p>\n
Hospital Matron Julie Watkinson said: \u201cThe improvements have helped because we can offer separate gender areas which is important, we can accommodate more patients so they have their operations sooner and we may well have to expand the centre in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe now have 17 bays where we used to have ten and they can be used up to three times a day \u2013 you can have an operation in the morning and be home for lunch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hospital has a zero infections rate in its three operating theatres and the fact is that you are also far less likely to develop complications if you spend less time in hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of our patients also felt that the old day ward was looking a bit tired and that was another reason we carried out the work \u2013 we always like to be responsive to what they want.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of them will come back for further treatment and it\u2019s good for them to see that we have done what they suggested.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re also planning to provide iPads for each bay so that the patients have something to keep them occupied while they wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
Staff Nurse Heather Pospisil said: \u201cIt\u2019s much nicer now and the patients are closer to us so we can keep an eye on them better and when it\u2019s time for them to go to theatre they can go straight in from here so it\u2019s much easier and quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n