Norfolk and Norwich Orthopaedic Centre (NaNOC) welcomes its first patients

The new state-of-the-art Norfolk and Norwich Orthopaedic Centre has welcomed its first patients at our hospital.

The 50-strong NNUH Trauma and Orthopaedics team began treating their first patients in the centre on Tuesday (23 July) and is in direct response to the profound impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on patients waiting for treatment.

Very much a patient-centred unit, it has been developed with its own facilities including same day admissions unit, treatment rooms, two laminar flow theatres, Post Anaesthetics Care Unit, a 21-bedded ward, called Ashill, physiotherapy rooms and a pharmacy and dispensing room for the embedded Pharmacy Team.

Some of the most up to date surgical equipment has been provided by the N&N Hospitals Charity which supported the build with a £2m grant – the biggest single grant in its history.

NaNOC will being carrying out procedures three days a week, with an ambition of running six days a week later in the year. Once it is running at full capacity, the team will carry out around 2,500 orthopaedic cases a year for patients who need ankle, foot, hip, knee or shoulder operations. To help with this work four new consultants – experts in hip, knee, shoulder and hand surgery, have been employed to bring the most innovative techniques to the team.

All staff are receiving training in the Trust’s Advanced Recovery Programme, which focuses on sending patients home as early and as safely as possible.

Consultant Surgeon Jim Wimhurst said: “The main ethos of the unit is for ‘enhanced recovery’ ie getting patients up and about after surgery with a combination of surgical, anaesthetic techniques, tailored analgesia regimes and targeted physiotherapy. Our current length of stay is three days. The idea is to get patients home after a day for hip and knee replacement and some even home on the day of surgery. The unit is slightly removed from the main hospital and suitable for patients without complex medical needs. By moving those patients to NANOC frees up space on the in-patient orthopaedic ward (Cringleford) for patients with more complex medical needs or more complex surgery.”

He added: “This has been incredibly challenging at times as we have had to convert an existing clinical unit with a purpose-built unit on the side to create a brand-new orthopaedic centre. We have learned a lot, and it is really exciting that we are now ready.

“We have been supported amazingly by the N&N Hospitals Charity, which has helped us with buying some of the most up to date equipment currently available. I’d like to say a huge thank you to them.”

Trauma and Orthopaedics Matron Cristiana Jorge said: “This is such a big day for us. We have been checking, double checking and triple checking all our processes, running elective, emergency and drug simulations so we don’t leave anything to chance. I am so pleased to be welcoming our first patients next week.”

NNUH Director of Strategy and Major Projects Simon Hackwell said: “It has been a challenge to see this build reach completion. I would like to thank everyone who has remained steadfast in completing this project.”

Michael Irvine, Interim Chief of Surgery, said: “This is an extremely exciting development, which will increase our elective bed base and reduce waiting times through a dedicated and specialised orthopaedic facility.”

Lesley Dwyer NNUH Chief Executive said: “This centre will build on the improvements we are already starting to see in our performance relating to our elective procedures including treating 78,000 patients in the last 12 months. This new centre will mean that we can reduce cancellations and continue elective work despite winter and external pressures.

“We really believe that this model works and already are planning on expansion plans through the development of NaNOC 2 to build a second unit, which will double our capacity and go a long way in helping us reduce our patient waiting lists.”

Julie Cooper, Head of Charity for the N&N Hospitals Charity said: “It has been lovely to hear how pleased the Elective Orthopaedics team are with their new facility.  We look forward to continuing our support for the unit, having seen how our £2m grant is being put to good use to improve the patient experience.”

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