Standby list to improve operation wait - review

The review gave 36 recommendations to improve long waiting times and to "ensure the best outcomes for patients"

A list of standby patients to fill cancelled theatre operations should be made to decrease its waiting list, a review has recommended.

The review into orthopaedics and theatre efficiency at the Jersey General Hospital (JGH) held in April said it had "excellent facilities" and examples of good practice.

It was produced by the Getting It Right First Time Project Team at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital to address long waiting times and to "ensure the best outcomes for patients".

Deputy Tom Binet, the Minister of Health and Social Service Services, said the recommendations made in the review would be addressed by an action plan due to be published next month.

The review made 36 recommendations for improvements, including maximising the use of existing resources and assets and increasing the number of sessions performed in a day.

Mr Binet said the review was commissioned "with the specific aim of improving hospital efficiency and increasing productivity".

He said: "As expected, it makes a number of recommendations, and these will be addressed in an action plan which will be shared with the public at the same time as it is presented to the Independent Advisory Board at its next meeting in September."

Mr Binet added "a lot of effort" was being made to get more permanent staff.

"Over the coming months there will be less and less temporary staff as permanent posts are filled," he said.

Recommendations asked the JGH to increase the amount of middle grade doctor operating lists and available training opportunities to "improve morale and prevent de-skilling" and to try to address and understand its "high absence rates".

Other recommendations said it should undertake a review of the current workforce and identify gaps in rotas where there "should be permanent" appointments as opposed to long term temporary workers and to explore solutions to improve the management of "underperforming" employees.

A single area for surgical admissions to reduce late starts and theatre turnaround times was also recommended as well as a recommendation the JGH should ensure the theatres were running 48 weeks of the year for six days a week.

The review said the JGH's MRI scanner needed updating as it was currently "not possible to screen for prostate cancer".

'Improve care for all'

Prof Tim Briggs, who wrote the review, said he had been given "open and honest" opinions from all staff, who were "enthusiastic" about changes to improve services.

He said: "We saw excellent facilities, with many examples of good practice - this confirms our view that JGH has an opportunity to become an exemplar hospital, which will improve care for all patients and encourage additional private patients to use the facilities.

"We have identified opportunities for and areas of change to practice that will increase activity by maximising the use of existing resources and assets."

Prof Briggs said the recommendations needed to be "taken forward at pace to enhance services and improve care".