Torbay Hospital has opened its two newly refurbished operating theatres to a warm welcome from patients and staff.
The surgical theatres took their first patients in October following a £2.3m refurbishment to install up-to-date air handling equipment, among other improvements, by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital.
The theatres had been temporarily closed since November 2018 due to issues related to the ageing infrastructure. The renovated theatres are controlled with new high-tech humidity, heating and lighting controls essential for surgery and also have new communal staff areas.
Debra Bannen, Theatres and Day Surgery Unit Matron for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said that during the past 11 months, staff have responded well as a focussed team to the enormous challenge of having reduced operating capacity.
“I’m very proud of my teams, they have worked together to ensure all patients waiting for surgery continued to receive safe care and to reduce as far as possible the impact on waiting times.”
The impact on patients was minimised by our clinical and support services staff providing additional late and weekend operations and solutions such as using more of the day surgery team’s expertise.
Debra added: “We are all very excited to be working in the refurbished theatres and able to offer patients an improved experience with the very best equipment in an enhanced safe and clinically clean environment.”
Caroline Leavey, Theatres Sister, said: “Staff and patient feedback has been very positive. Our patients are saying how fantastic it all looks and feels. Colleagues are also enthusiastic about their new working environment which is good for moral and wellbeing.”
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