NHS Grampian says general surgery waiting list cut by almost half as Dr Gray’s Hospital surgeons ‘seize opportunity’

The waiting list for general surgery in Moray has “plummeted” by almost 50 per cent in recent months, NHS Grampian has said.

At the start of May, more than 415 patients across the region were on the waiting list but that number now stands at 230 - a 45 per cent drop.

Health bosses stated in May that many orthopaedic surgeries would be moved to Aberdeen from Dr Gray’s Hospital due to an “exceptional” number of absences among key staff members in the department.

The change was expected to be a “temporary” one lasting around three months.

However, we revealed earlier this month that orthopaedic surgeries were still taking place in Aberdeen with NHS Grampian unable to give a “definitive timeline” as to when they will return.

While the health board has apologised for any inconvenience this may have caused, the change has allowed the hospital to make progress elsewhere.

Surgeons at Dr Gray’s have been able to take advantage of the extra capacity by undertaking additional gynaecological and general surgical cases locally.

Professor Duff Bruce, clinical director at Dr Gray’s, said: “The extra theatre capacity this move has created, here in Elgin, has allowed us to undertake additional gynaecological and general surgical cases locally.

“Using all available capacity, in general surgery we have seen a massive 45 per cent decrease in people waiting for operations in the region, since May.

“While in gynaecology we have seen a decrease of more than 16 per cent in the number of people waiting.

“We’ll continue to drive down the numbers waiting using that extra capacity, meaning overall we’ll be in a much better position, with fewer people in Moray waiting for procedures in these specialities.”

Professor Bruce says that work around orthopaedic surgery at Dr Gray’s is ongoing.

He said: "To be absolutely clear, there will be no reduction in the overall number of surgeries at Dr Gray’s. In fact, we’re seizing this as an opportunity to reduce waiting times.

“We continue to have an exceptional number of unplanned absences among key staff in the orthopaedic team at Dr Gray’s Hospital and as a result around 220 patients have been operated on in Aberdeen, National Treatment Centre Highland and Golden Jubilee Hospital, since May.

“In the meantime, orthopaedic surgeries, including neck of femur surgeries, will take place in Aberdeen."

He added: “Feedback from orthopaedic patients travelling to Aberdeen for their procedures has generally been positive.

“People are telling us, in the circumstances, they'd prefer to travel to have their surgery and see the subsequent improvement to their quality of life, than face a longer wait.

“That said, we fully understand this causes inconvenience for those affected and their families – and I’d like to apologise directly to each of them for that.”