6th December 2023
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) service has been recognised by the Department of Health for their efforts to ensure that more patients waiting on joint procedures can have their surgery.
Following a downturn in activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team have been working tirelessly to rebuild and recruit to their service, providing fracture clinics, musculoskeletal triage hubs, orthopaedic outpatient clinics and trauma operating lists.
From April to September this year, the service undertook 683 planned orthopaedic surgeries compared to 296 in the same period in 2022.
The T&O service was established in 2008 to treat a range of bone and joint conditions. The purpose built Trauma and Orthopaedics Unit at Craigavon opened in 2010, including dedicated theatres, recovery areas and ward space. The team also offers outpatients services from Daisy Hill Hospital.
This year, for the third consecutive year, the dedicated team were awarded national accreditation as a NJR Quality Data Provider for their performance and commitment to patient safety in joint replacement.
Cathrine Reid, Director of Surgery and Clinical Services, said: “We would like to pay tribute to all staff who continue to work tirelessly to sustain services in the face of ongoing workforce and financial challenges, particularly our T&O team, who have gone above and beyond, to undertake more planned surgery for more patients, despite other pressures throughout our hospitals.
“We have excellent trauma and orthopaedic facilities with a very experienced team, dedicated to continually improving the safety and quality of their service. Huge credit to our T&O service, who strive to demonstrate the very best standards on a daily basis, ensuring the best possible outcomes for their patients.”
Following a recent visit to the Trust when he met the team, Peter May, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health, said: “The achievements in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Trauma and Orthopaedic service should be commended.
“The commitment and hard work of the excellent staff, coupled primarily with the increased level of theatre nursing availability, have helped drive an increase in the number of weekly Elective Orthopaedic Theatre sessions.
“This means patients are getting the treatment they need faster. It also demonstrates that even with the current financial context, dedicated work is ongoing to make positive improvements in hospital waiting lists.”
Some of the Southern Trust’s Trauma and Orthopaedic theatre and ward teams with Peter May, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, and Lynn Lappin Interim Assistant Director for Surgery & Outpatients.
Mr Sean Patton, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Peter May, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, Enda McGinley, Orthopaedics Practitioner, Mr Mark Murnaghan, T&O Consultant, Lynn Lappin Interim Assistant Director for Surgery & Out-Patients and Cathrine Reid, Director of Surgery and Clinical Services, Southern Health and Social Care Trust.