Patients praise newly opened surgical centre near Bath

This week, Sulis Hospital and the BSW Hospitals Group celebrated the official opening of the Sulis Orthopaedic Centre (SOC), a new facility that will see thousands of NHS patients in the south west receive life-changing surgery much sooner than before.

Based just south of Bath at Sulis Hospital, the SOC is a state-of-the-art surgical centre that delivers planned, ring-fenced, year-round orthopaedic operations – such as hip and knee replacements – to NHS patients from Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. The initiative will mean that patients receiving care at the three NHS acute hospitals that make up BSW Hospitals Group – Great Western Hospital in Swindon, the Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Bath and Salisbury Foundation Trust – will be able to choose to have their operation at the SOC, providing they are considered suitable during their pre-operative assessment.

They will remain under the care of their consultant team from their acute hospital, who work in close partnership with the theatre and recovery teams at Sulis. Pre- and post-operative treatment continues to be provided at patients' local NHS Trust hospital, meaning patients only need to travel for the operation itself.

Jane Fawcus was the first patient from Salisbury Foundation Trust to be treated at the SOC, undergoing a total knee replacement. She said: "I can't believe that I had surgery so quickly. It was such a good experience."

Jane had been experiencing issues with her knees for several years, and at the time of having her surgery, was struggling to walk short distances with a stick and had had to give up activities she enjoyed, such as volunteering. Jane then met with a new surgeon at Salisbury Foundation Trust, Mr Sampali, who explained that she had the option to have her surgery at the SOC. Six weeks later, Jane had her surgery at the new centre.

"The whole experience was genuinely pleasurable," Jane said. "The ambience of Sulis made me feel relaxed. Usually I'm so anxious about coming into a clinical environment, but at Sulis I felt calm and at ease."

Three weeks following the operation, Jane was pain-free and making good progress in her recovery. "My friends say that it's made a huge difference – I no longer have pain in my face," she said. "I'd definitely drive slightly further for the experience, and I'll be recommending Sulis Orthopaedic Centre to friends."

Simon Milner, Hospital Director at Sulis Hospital said: "Building on Sulis Hospital's unique status as the first fully operational hospital wholly owned by an NHS Trust, with the profits reinvested back into the NHS, the new Sulis Orthopaedic Centre represents the next step in expanding specialist care for patients. Exemplary care is underpinned by leading surgeons and anaesthetists with the full operational and clinical support of Sulis, demonstrating how effective and proactive teams across hospital sites can benefit patients. We look forward to hosting the service and working with our NHS partners for many years to come."

Cara Charles-Barks, Chief Executive of the BSW Hospitals Group, said: "The Sulis Orthopaedic Centre is so much more than bricks and mortar; it's the result of a close collaboration between Sulis Hospital and the three acute NHS hospitals in BSW Hospitals Group. It's also a symbol of what we can achieve when we work together to bring to life our vision of the outstanding care we want for our patients."

"We know that long waits for surgery can have a profound impact on people's lives. That's why this centre is so important. It will help safeguard our services and ensure that we can continue to provide timely, high-quality care for years to come."

ENDS

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