A NEW £12million unit at Wharfedale Hospital which includes operating theatres and wards is now open, reducing the time patients wait for surgery and providing protected space for planned operations to take place.

The Elective Care Hub at the hospital in Otley creates additional operating theatre capacity away from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s main acute hospital sites, increasing the number of patients that can be treated each week. Having a dedicated Elective Care Hub away from the major hospital sites in Leeds means there is capacity which can confidently be used all-year-round.

It includes two new theatres (taking the total number at the hospital to four), a recovery area, an admissions and discharge area alongside making an existing ward operational overnight.

The Hub provides operations including general surgery, minor cancers, urology and benign gynaecology. Other improvements include the day unit and phlebotomy services moving into refurbished areas and a dedicated hysteroscopy treatment suite. Overall, the space for clinical services has increased.

It is estimated that an additional 3,500 people per year will be seen, and patients will benefit from the quieter, relaxed environment and faster treatment times.

The Hub also provides extra capacity for teams from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, who alongside Leeds Teaching Hospitals secured NHS England funding to support post-Covid recovery works. During the Covid pandemic, across the NHS a backlog of elective operations built up which teams have been working hard to address.

Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said: “I really appreciated visiting the new Elective Care Hub and meeting team members. I know patients are going to find it a great place to come, not just because of the facilities, but also because of how they’ll be looked after. The Hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned-in patients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more patients more quickly.

“This investment underlines our commitment to provide the right kinds of services at Wharfedale Hospital and ensuring it has a sustainable future. It’s fantastic news for the Otley community as well as our patients from further afield and our staff.”

Russell Nightingale, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior Responsible Officer for Elective Recovery, said: “The Elective Care Hub at Wharfedale Hospital further strengthens the trusts’ working relationship. The new facilities will provide extra capacity for treating long wait patients and reduce overall waiting times for patients at both trusts. It will enable us to further improve on the quality of care we provide and to continue to deliver a first-class service for our patients.”

The opening of the new Elective Care Unit has been welcomed by Cllr Sandy Lay (Otley and Yeadon, Liberal Democrat) who said: “As someone who served as Senior Nurse at Wharfedale Hospital, I know first hand the importance of providing timely, efficient care in a dedicated environment. The new Elective Care Hub is a tremendous step forward in meeting the needs of patients, not only by reducing waiting times but by ensuring they receive their treatment in a calm, well-equipped facility. This investment truly enhances the hospital’s role in our community and reflects the ongoing commitment to high-quality patient care.”