Successful Hernia 'Super Surgery Day' trial at the Horton General Hospital

Fifteen patients underwent successful day-case hernia surgery, all within just nine hours, during a single, high-efficiency theatre list at Horton General Hospital, helping to reduce patient waiting times at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH).

The 'Super Surgery Day' was designed to deliver rapid hernia treatment to a high number of patients, ensuring timely and efficient care. It was a success, with all surgeries proceeding smoothly and each patient discharged on the same day.

With an average operating time of 25 minutes per case, the streamlined list was made possible through meticulous planning and co-ordinated teamwork.

The surgical team included one consultant surgeon, one anaesthetist, an assistant surgeon, a surgical core trainee, and full support from the scrub, anaesthetic, and recovery teams, as well as Day Case Unit staff.

Patients were seen in an outpatient clinic the day before for pre-surgery checks. Both the anaesthetist and the surgeon were present during this pre-operative session, enabling a seamless surgical flow on the day and minimising turnaround time between cases.

The turnover - so the time between one patient leaving theatre and the next being positioned under the lights and ready to be prepped - was effectively zero.

The trial received very positive feedback. Some of the comments included:

• "The staff and surgeon were very supportive."
• "Seeing the surgeon and anaesthetist the day before was very efficient. On the day, the staff were all positive and funny!"
• "The whole team put me at ease - friendly, respectful, and supportive throughout."
• "Throughout my time, both surgeons, anaesthetists, and other staff - e.g. nursing and ward staff - made the process very relaxing."
• "Communication was amazing."
• "All staff were friendly and professional."

Giles Bond-Smith, Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director of General Surgery in the Surgery, Women's and Oncology (SuWOn) Division at OUH, said:

“This successful 'Super Surgery Day' is a real achievement and reflects the outstanding dedication and efforts of our teams, as well as the careful planning behind the layout and logistics of the trial day.

"Building on this fantastic result, the team is now keen to explore this model further, with a continued focus on safety, sustainability, and long-term success."

Mark Scarfe, Anaesthetics Consultant at OUH, said:

"We saved three hours of work on the day by carrying out the pre-op clinic the day before. The 'zero' turnover and the positive feedback from patients reflect the team's ability to deliver efficient, high quality, compassionate care. The Horton General Hospital is particularly well-suited to deliver this type of initiative, and was the obvious choice for the pilot."

Lindsay Wetherall, Deputy Directorate Manager of the Surgery Directorate at OUH, said:

"We are delighted by the success of the 'Super Surgery Day'. It is a perfect example of excellent teamwork. Alongside the team on the day, special credit goes to the administrative booking team, whose detailed pre-planning ensured appropriate patient selection and contributed significantly to the day’s success."

Felicity Taylor-Drewe, Chief Operating Officer at OUH, said:

"We recognise that some patients are currently waiting longer than we would wish, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality care and reducing waiting times across OUH.

"Our teams are actively working to bring down waiting times and ensure patients receive the care they need. Thank you to all colleagues involved for your continued efforts to improve the care we provide."