The first of two additional operating theatres will open at Forth Valley Royal Hospital on Monday 24th June 2019 as part of a major new plan to increase diagnostic, surgical and inpatient capacity. Extra operating lists are already running in the hospital’s existing 14 theatres, including extended sessions over weekends, enabling hundreds of extra operations to be performed. NHS Forth Valley has successfully recruited 13 theatre nurses, four consultant anaesthetists and two consultant orthopaedic surgeons to help manage the increased theatre activity. Further staff will be recruited over the next few months to support the opening of the second new theatre which is due to come on stream later this year. It is estimated that up to 1500 additional operations, both day and inpatient procedures, will be able to be carried out each year once both theatres are up and running. A new MRI scanner is due to be installed in the hospital in the next few weeks and additional inpatient beds will also be established on the hospital site to support the increased theatre activity.
The major £17 million investment forms part of the Scottish Government’s National Waiting Times Improvement Plan and national elective care centre programme.
Liz MacLeod, NHS Forth Valley’s Theatre Manager, said: “Credit is due to the entire theatre team who have worked incredibly hard over the last six months to ensure the first new theatre opens on time. Everyone is very excited about the expansion plans and we are delighted to have successfully recruited additional theatre nurses, orthopaedic surgeons and anaesthetists to support this major new national development.”