Apollo Theatre reopens after £2.4m refurb
A newly refurbished operating theatre at Cheltenham General Hospital has reopened to patients following a £2.4m upgrade.
The Apollo Theatre has been completely renovated and incorporates a high tech ventilation system, the installation of a new floor and wall coverings and electrical and medical gas supplies, alongside the installation of specialist new equipment.
The renovation work builds on wider patient benefits achieved through the reconfiguration of trauma and orthopaedic services last year, with trauma surgery now being carried out at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and the majority of elective (all joint replacement surgery including hip and knee replacements) being carried out at Cheltenham General Hospital.
The project was delivered on time and within budget by main contractor, Speller Metcalfe. Mechanical and electrical work was carried out by Neptune and the installation of the UCV hood by Howorth.
Joint-owner of Speller Metcalfe, Steve Speller, said “We are proud to have delivered a scheme that will make a real difference to people’s lives, with the newly upgraded facilities fully accommodating both the needs of patients and clinicians.”
Jon Mutimer, Service Director, Trauma and Orthopaedics and Consultant, Trauma and Orthopaedics, said: “This is a significant investment in patient care and Cheltenham General Hospital’s vibrant future and means that patients treated in our Apollo Theatre will have some of the best facilities in the country in terms of an operating theatre environment.”
Robert Jackson, Consultant Medical Microbiologist, explained the importance of infection control in a theatre. He said: “The primary basis of preventing theatre acquired infection in joint replacement surgery is the provision of ultra-clean ventilation.
“An ultra-clean ventilation system delivers a large volume of clean filtered air to the zone in which the operation is performed and sterile items are exposed. Air that has passed through filters is discharged above the operating zone, purging the area of contaminants and particles generated within it. The flow of air also serves to prevent particles originating outside the zone from entering. In other words it is an incredibly effective system which allows surgeons to perform in the cleanest of environments.”
Vinay Takwale, Chief of Service Surgery and Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedics, added: “The new theatre refurbishment at Cheltenham builds on the recent improvements we’ve made across trauma and orthopaedics more generally at both Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General Hospitals. By establishing Centres of Excellence in this way we’ve seen a reduction in on the day cancelled operations, more operations being undertaken, a reduction in waiting times and a significantly enhanced teaching experience for doctors in training.”
