Day Case Surgical Unit, Hereford Hospital.

Demolition of the last of the hospital’s 1940s hutted wards has made way for a new standalone Day Case Surgical Unit at Hereford Hospital.

The aim of the government-backed scheme is to deliver almost two million extra routine operations across 50 new facilities nationally, which will incorporate at least 100 new operating theatres and more than 1,000 beds.

The types of procedure that will be offered in the new unit include a mix of day case surgeries, including gynaecology, ENT, urology, general surgical, orthopaedic, dental, oral and cataract procedures.

Providing this type of surgery in a dedicated environment will boost productivity, improve patient outcomes and reduce waiting times, as well as reduce pressures on staff by moving elective surgeries that currently take place in the main hospital to the new site. Beds in the new Day Case Surgical Unit will also be ring-fenced for planned operations, reducing the risk of short-notice cancellations.

The new Day Case Surgical Unit will be situated within the main hospital grounds to minimise travel times for both staff and patients and will be built across two storeys – housing two operating theatres, assessment rooms, pre-op waiting rooms, recovery bays and a dedicated cataract suite, alongside staff offices and a main reception.