Congratulations to the new spinal service at Rochdale for earning a well-deserved spot on the shortlist for the prestigious 2024 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Award for Patient Safety in Elective Recovery. This recognition highlights the outstanding work being done to address patient needs and improve outcomes in a critical area of healthcare.
The NCA Elective Spinal Recovery Plan was launched as a direct response to the significant backlog of patients awaiting spinal surgery, a situation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, leading to delayed surgeries and increased waiting times. As a result, the average waiting time for spinal surgery has extended to approximately 18 months. In an effort to mitigate this issue, approval was granted for lower complexity spinal operations to be carried out by a dedicated surgical hub.
This initiative has been crucial in reducing the waiting list and providing timely care to patients in need. By focusing on lower complexity procedures, the surgical hub has been able to efficiently manage the backlog, ensuring that patients receive the necessary interventions without undue delay. The success of this project is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the healthcare professionals involved.
Vicky Gibbons, Assistant Director of Nursing Services – Planned Care Theatres, expressed her pride in the team’s achievements, stating: "This project showcases how an enthusiastic, multidisciplinary team can effectively deliver a major project and overcome the challenges of rapid service delivery and the implementation of a new spinal service within an accredited surgical hub. Well done to everyone for their excellent work."
This recognition by the HSJ underscores the importance of innovation, teamwork, and dedication in delivering high-quality patient care during challenging times. Congratulations once again to the Rochdale spinal service team for their exemplary work.