Groundbreaking F1-inspired initiative to help NHS clear record waits
An NHS hospital in London has implemented a pioneering F1-inspired approach to tackle record waiting lists by performing a week’s worth of operations in a single day.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is running monthly high-intensity theatre (HIT) sessions on weekends. This method involves running two operating theatres simultaneously, with one patient already under anesthesia and wheeled in as soon as the previous procedure is completed.
Dr. Kariem El-Boghdadly, the consultant anaesthetist spearheading the initiative, likened the operating theatre to a Formula One pit stop, with each team member focused on their specific tasks. Nurses are also involved in cleaning down the operating theatre in less than two minutes, further optimizing efficiency.
During the most recent HIT session, medics cleared a third of the hospital’s gynaecological oncology waiting list by performing 21 operations on 20 patients by lunchtime. This is a significant increase compared to the usual average of six procedures per day.
The innovative approach has also seen successful outcomes in other areas of healthcare. For example, plastic surgeons at St Thomas’ completed three months’ worth of breast cancer patients’ operations in just five days. Additionally, eight prostate cancer patients underwent a robot-assisted prostatectomy, equivalent to a week’s worth of procedures, in a single day. These achievements highlight the potential impact of the F1-inspired model on reducing the NHS backlog.
Following the implementation of the HIT sessions, consultants and other medical professionals involved have expressed their satisfaction with the efficiency and productivity of the system. Dr. El-Boghdadly emphasized how downtime has been eliminated, ensuring there is always a patient being operated on in the theatre. Consultants bounce between theaters, focusing on critical phases of the operation while junior surgeons assist.
The NHS is currently faced with a record waiting list of 7.8 million patients, significantly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The backlog has led to increased waiting times for routine procedures, with 6.5 million patients waiting for 7.77 million appointments and procedures across England.
While this F1-inspired initiative shows promise in tackling the backlog, its success relies on widespread implementation. Dr. Ahmad, a consultant anaesthetist involved in the program, believes the model could dramatically reduce waiting times if adopted nationwide. The approach has already been discussed with NHS England and the Department of Health.
Efforts to address the NHS backlog have gained prominence, with Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, making it one of his priorities for 2023. However, strikes across the health service have posed challenges to this endeavor, with over a million appointments cancelled since last December. The impact is even greater, as many hospitals avoid scheduling operations on strike dates.
The implementation of innovative solutions, such as the F1-inspired approach, represents a step towards addressing the NHS backlog and providing timely healthcare to patients. As the system faces increasing pressures, finding efficient and effective ways to clear waiting lists is crucial to ensure the well-being of patients across the country.
