SP10.2.13 Theatre-team meeting start times during the COVID-19 pandemic: An audit of elective orthopaedic theatre practices at a high volume elective orthopaedic centre during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Aims The estimated cost of running an NHS theatre is 20 pounds per minute therefore it is essential that theatres runs as efficiently as possible to reduce waste. After elective services were restarted a disproportionate increase in late theatre start times was observed. An audit was carried out to evaluate whether team meetings were beginning on time (08:00) and if not; the length of and reason for the delay. These findings were presented at Clinical Governance and a re-audit was done to see if there had been any improvement. Method Data was recorded on an audit proforma in each theatre before the first case. This was done for 2 weeks over 12 days of theatre sessions and subsequently analysed to evaluate if practice was compliant with local theatre protocols. Results First cycle – average team brief start time of 08:05 with 17/18 (94%) of late starts due to surgeon/anaesthetist lateness. Second cycle - average team brief start time of 08:08 with 10/22 (45%) of late starts due to surgeon/anaesthetist lateness. Conclusions Late starts led to further delays to the patient being sent for and arriving in theatre; late starts were usually caused by doctors/surgeons. The proportion of late starts due to the surgeon/anaesthetist (45%) decreased compared to the first cycle (94%) suggesting that theatre team members successfully adapted their practices following changes to local protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of extraneous factors were also attributed to the later average start times in the second cycle.