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A year of successes for Heatherwood Hospital

All are in middle age or older. Steve is white, balding, smiling, with a hospital gown on, and a blood pressure cuff on his right arm. Michael has glasses and a beard and is smiling. Sue has glasses and is smiling. All are seated in a hospital room.

29 March 2023

It’s been exactly 12 months since our fantastic new Heatherwood hospital in Ascot first opened its doors and what a year it’s been for our staff and patients. One of the best NHS planned care facilities in the country, the centre of excellence for non-emergency care has already had a significant impact on waiting times and provided more timely access to consultations, diagnostics and treatment for patients.

During the first year Heatherwood has:

  • Performed around 1300 procedures a month with 6-day operating weeks
  • Significantly reduced waiting times for cataracts surgery - now just 2-4 weeks
  • Recently introduced a one-stop service for skin cancer where patients are seen, diagnosed and treated in a single visit
  • Performed around 540 endoscopies per month
  • Reduced average length of stay for hip and knee replacement to just 2.5 days
  • Safely discharged 40% of joint surgery patients within 24 hours
  • Carried out more than 1000 hip and knee replacements
  • Performed hundreds of gynaecology procedures in dedicated treatment rooms

Steve Long from Lightwater, who was at Heatherwood this week for an endoscopy, said: “I think Heatherwood is a real asset because it doesn’t have an A&E department, so they are able to specialise in different areas. I’m very grateful to be part of this NHS system which I’ve found amazing.

“The level of communication, from emailing and texting appointments, to the follow up and phone calls, has been absolutely first class. - it’s so good to have this facility local to us, it's an absolute gem!”

Another patient, Michael Grant, from Frimley, was being discharged following a hip replacement: “It’s been an excellent service for me”, he said. “I only went to see my GP in January and here I am all done and ready to go home just six weeks later. I can’t fault the hospital or the lovely staff.”

Sue Darch, from Beaconsfield, was recovering in Heatherwood this week after a total knee replacement. She said: “I think it is wonderful, it’s extremely clean and modern and it is lovely to have my own room. The staff and the service are excellent.”