Croydon’s NHS celebrates one year of COVID-safe elective care
In the same month that the NHS celebrates its 73rd birthday, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust today celebrates a year since it transformed care for Croydon residents with the launch of the Croydon Elective Centre (Thursday 15 July).
Since July 2020, the hospital within a hospital, dubbed a ‘blueprint for the NHS’ in the wake of a national health crisis, has provided elective surgery, planned procedures and cardiac care for almost 10,000 local people, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to its innovative model, which sees a segmented ‘COVID-protected’ zone within the footprint of Croydon University Hospital, the Trust has made huge progress in its ambitions to reduce the backlog of patients caused by COVID-19.
Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director for COVID-19 Recovery Stella Vig said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to celebrate a year since the opening of the Croydon Elective Centre. Not only has it allowed us to offer reassurance to our patients by providing a safe, protected zone for their planned treatment, but it’s also given our clinical teams the opportunity to work in new ways and see their suggestions come to life.
“The work of our clinical, operational and support teams to make the Centre a success has been outstanding and has garnered praise from across the country. We look forward to celebrating another year and providing care to even more patients, where and when they need us.”
In September 2020, just six weeks after its opening, the Centre was able to treat as many patients as it had before the pandemic, making Croydon the best performing Trust in London for elective recovery and that success has continued throughout the second wave of the virus, which swept through the nation in January.
Lee McPhail, Chief Operating Officer at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said:
“The Croydon Elective Centre is a great example of how clinically-led innovation can make a real difference to the lives of our patients and staff, as well as the wider health system.
“As well as allowing us to continue providing care during the second peak of the pandemic, the centre is now helping other hospitals across south west London to treat their patients more quickly and has opened up opportunities for other parts of the hospital to work in different ways.
“Since the Centre opened, we have bolstered our emergency care with the development of the Emergency Surgical Centre, the launch of a same-day Surgical Assessment Hub and most recently, the start of elective procedures at our Purley Elective Centre, based at Purley War Memorial Hospital, further improving timely access to care for patients in Croydon.”
ENDS