New operating theatres open at east London hospital

Two new theatres have opened at King George Hospital in Ilford

London's newest operating theatres have opened, in a move hospital bosses hope will help cut waiting lists across north-east London.

The two new theatres at King George Hospital in Ilford have been set aside for planned or elective care like knee and hip replacements.

It is hoped the new facilities will mean 100 extra patients will be seen each week, as the hospital trust tries to tackle a backlog of some 6,000 cases.

Both theatres are based in a so-called elective care hub, which only deals with planned operations, while emergency procedures are carried out at nearby Queens hospital in Romford.

Prem Dass Chandera will now get his knee replacement

One of the first to go under the knife is 70-year-old Prem Dass Chandera from Gants Hill. He's been waiting for a knee replacement for more than a year, but is now having the operation done.

"I'd had problems sitting, standing, walking, lifting, it's really affecting my normal daily routine.

"I hope mainly the operation will help get rid of the pain and I'll be able to walk normally and do my usual things," he said.

His operation is typical of the type they perform here.

These two extra theatres, on top of the seven that were already on site, mean more people like Mr Chandera will get treated.

The new theatres have cost about £14m

The new theatres have cost about £14m and will go some way to help cut waiting times for surgery.

However, even senior managers here have admitted it could take up to four years until they get their waiting lists "under control".

Director of surgery at the hospital, Thangadorai Amalesh, believes the extra facilities will see the new unit being able to build on past successes such as where it’s been able to carry on planned surgery even through the busy last two winters, when other hospitals have had to cancel planned operations to make way for emergencies.

The last word though goes to Mr Chandera’s wife Surje: "The waiting has been awful. I’m just hoping that after the operation he can walk, that we get a bit of normality back and that he’s not in pain."