Surgical staff at Grantham and District Hospital welcomed the President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for a tour of the county's Surgical Hub.  

The hospital became one of the first eight locations nationally to be awarded accreditation for its hub in March last year, recognising its high standards in clinical and operational practice. 

The hubs perform planned surgery and mainly focus on high volume-low complexity (HVLC) surgery across various specialties including ophthalmology, general surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, ear nose and throat, and urology.

The hub does not deliver emergency care, meaning operating lists and beds are dedicated to those patients awaiting planned surgeries.

Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: "It was a privilege to visit surgical staff at Grantham and District Hospital and see first-hand the excellent work being carried out in one of the first accredited surgical hubs. It is not only benefitting the care of patients, but also supporting the training of doctors. 

"Surgical hubs are just one of the transformative solutions helping to tackle waiting lists in a meaningful and sustainable way. There has been good progress in introducing these, but we'd like to see a surgical hub in every area of the country, prioritising those facing the longest waiting lists."

Mr Mitchell was shown Grantham's theatres, which includes two new £5.3m theatres opened to patients in November 2022. 

He met ward staff on the Surgical Unit, before hearing updates of work being undertaken in Lincolnshire from a number of surgical specialties, including orthopaedics, urology and general surgery. Mr Mitchell also heard about research being supported in the county's hospitals. 

Colin Farquharson, Medical Director at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We welcome every opportunity to demonstrate the excellent work and progress we are making in Lincolnshire to support patient care and reduce waiting times for those in need of surgery.  

"It was a pleasure to show Mr Mitchell our facilities and discuss the improvements we have been able to make for our patients, with better outcomes and shorter stays in hospital. The feedback we have received from our patients about Grantham Surgical Hub has been very positive and is also a reflection of the dedication and compassion delivered by our colleagues.   

"The day also gave opportunity to talk about the professional development of our teams and the training opportunities the surgical hub has offered our doctors.

"We're very proud of the surgical services we are developing at Grantham."