University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) is continuing to help more children get treatment sooner through its paediatric super week initiative, which brings together surgical teams from across multiple specialties to deliver high-volume elective procedures over the course of a week.
The third super week, which took place during the May half term, saw 73 children treated, helping to reduce the paediatric waiting list by almost 12 per cent.
The initiative focuses on low-complexity procedures carried out using a 23-hour model. This means patients can be admitted, treated and discharged within a 23-hour window, helping to maximise the use of beds while maintaining high-quality care and patient experience.
Marianne Elloy, ENT Consultant at UHL, said: “The super week model is helping us make a real difference for children and families waiting for treatment. By bringing teams together and focusing on planned, low-complexity procedures, we’re able to treat more patients safely and efficiently while maintaining a high-quality patient experience.
“We know waiting for surgery can be difficult for children and their families, so reducing waiting times and improving flow through our services remains a key priority. The success of the three super weeks we have delivered so far shows what can be achieved through collaboration, innovation and careful planning.”
The super week model has been developed to help address waiting list pressures across a number of paediatric specialties, including surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, ophthalmology and maxillofacial services.
By concentrating activity during school holidays, when paediatric bed pressures are lower, UHL has been able to maximise theatre capacity and reduce the risk of cancellations. It also benefits families by reducing disruption at school.
Over the course of three super weeks, 183 children have been treated in total, including 73 surgeries in just four days during the most recent initiative.
The approach brings together multidisciplinary teams from across UHL in a coordinated effort to improve patient flow and ensure children receive timely care in a safe and child-friendly environment.
Following the success of the first three super weeks, further sessions are planned later this summer as teams continue to expand the model to support elective recovery across paediatric services.