Case Study: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust achieves more efficient operating theatres with NHS Employers

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust - Customer Case Study

The customer, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, faced a challenge stemming from a national shortage of specialist anaesthetists. They sought a new way of working to build capacity within their anaesthesia teams and improve patient care, not simply to cut costs. The vendor, NHS Employers, supported the trust in implementing the role of Physicians’ Assistants (Anaesthesia) through a postgraduate diploma program with the University of Birmingham.

The solution from NHS Employers involved funding and integrating these new PA(A) roles into the anaesthetic department's rota. This implementation, supported by continuous professional development, resulted in more efficient operating theatres. It freed up trainee anaesthetists to focus on complex emergency cases, thereby enhancing their educational opportunities. The measurable impact was a significant increase in departmental efficiency and flexibility, leading the trust to plan for an expansion of the program.

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust