Patients treated sooner thanks to joint working to improve orthopaedic care
25 September, 2023
A protected surgical hub at Abergele Hospital is now supporting the effort to reduce waiting times for patients waiting for hip and knee replacements.
Extra operating lists are now taking place at the community hospital and so far, almost 50 patients from across North Wales, some of whom have waited over 100 weeks for treatment, have received their joint replacement over the last two weeks.
The hospital has a ring-fenced short stay orthopaedic ward, which will continue to operate throughout the winter months, as well as a dedicated physiotherapy facility.
Andrea Hughes, from Wrexham, received her partial-knee replacement surgery earlier this month.
She said: “It was during March 2020 I began to feel the pain in my left knee and during the lockdown stages of the pandemic I was on a lot of medication to cope with the pain.
“It was incredibly hard to do the normal things in life, such as even getting in the bath or shower or getting in and out of the car.
“I was put on the waiting list in 2021 and I knew at the time I’d be waiting some time.
“I received a phone call around a month ago offering me the option to come to Abergele to have my operation. I jumped at the chance, the distance didn’t put me off at all. I came in on the Monday and I was home by the Tuesday, it was a very positive experience.”
Andrea’s surgeon, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Yogesh Joshi, who is based at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, is now operating fortnightly at Abergele Hospital.
He said: “One of the significant advantages of having a standalone orthopaedic unit in Abergele is the specialised care it provides. Orthopeadics is a highly specialised field, and having a dedicated unit ensures that patients receive focused, expert care tailored to their musculoskeletal needs.
“A dedicated orthopaedic unit fosters collaboration amongst surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and other specialists. This multidisciplinary approach enhances patient care and allows for a more comprehensive treatment plan.”
Mr Joshi is one of 16 surgeons from across North Wales using the resources at the community site to help reduce waiting lists.
Patients who undergo their operation at Abergele Hospital must be meet a specific clinical criteria, more complex patients will continue to receive their surgery at one of the district general hospitals. However, all patients can still choose to have their surgery at their local district general hospital, if they wish.
Mr Madhusudhan Raghavendra, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Clinical Lead at Glan Clwyd Hospital, said: “What we are aiming to achieve is a highly efficient throughput of hip and knee replacements in low risk patients across the Health Board for North Wales patients.
“I’m positive that the changes we have made will have a huge impact in reducing the waiting times for elective orthopaedic operations for the people of North Wales.”
Tracy Taylor, from Prestatyn, one of the patients who underwent a total hip replacement under Mr Raghavendra, has welcomed the news more operations will be carried out at Abergele Hospital.
“I was really pleased to receive a call to say I was booked in for my surgery and it’s fantastic that Abergele Hospital has the facilities available to carry out these operations.
“It’s great news that more operations are now taking place there so people who have been waiting a long time can be seen quicker.”
Post COVID-19, patients are waiting longer for treatment and the Health Board is now working on a proposal to improve orthopaedic care for the future.
A business case has been developed to invest in two new operating theatres and the refurbishment of the Aberconwy Ward in Llandudno Hospital to provide 19 beds for patients who need non-complex orthopaedic surgery, which might need a short hospital stay.
The business case for the proposal will be considered by the Health Board this month and Welsh Government later this year.
If the proposal is agreed, these theatres would be built outside the radiology department, allowing current Llandudno theatre activity to continue.
Adele Gittoes, Interim Executive Director of Operations at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “This new way of working at Abergele Hospital is an important part of our plans to tackle the waiting lists which built up during the COVID-19.
“What we are doing at Abergele Hospital is a proof of concept that we hope to replicate at Llandudno Hospital which will help to expand our surgical capacity and will enable patients from across North Wales to access expert care faster.”