Cardiff and Vale University Health Board introduces ophthalmic hub

Leading medical infrastructure provider Vanguard Healthcare Solutions has created and installed a new ophthalmic hub at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff to help tackle the region’s acute care backlog.

The bespoke mixed-modality facility includes two mobile laminar flow theatres and a modular ward and staff welfare facility and it has been installed by Vanguard to help the Health Board meet increasing demand for essential procedures.

As a result of the damaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the numerous lockdowns that followed, the UK faces its biggest backlog in elective care since the NHS was first introduced, with 5.8 million waiting for routine surgery. The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is committed to addressing this backlog through the opening of its new ophthalmic hub which should efficiently provide life-changing cataract surgery for patients.

Working alongside the Health Board’s team, Vanguard designed a bespoke solution to meet the hospital’s and wider area’s needs. The hub is made up of two Vanguard mobile laminar flow operating theatres. A modular unit, designed, built and installed by Vanguard, houses a reception, consultation room, staff facilities and short-stay ward. This allows the entire patient journey to take place within the hub, with no need for patients to visit the main hospital building. Surgery will take place in one of the two theatres which each include an anaesthetic room, operating theatre and a recovery room.

The facility will be on site until January 2023 and will support the Health Board through efficiently carrying out ophthalmic procedures and will be operating 5 days a week.

Maxine Lawson. Account Manager for the South at Vanguard Healthcare Solutions said: “The use of this mixed-modality solution in Cardiff is an example of how mobile and modular solutions are an excellent way to help healthcare providers meeting demands as the need for additional capacity continues to rise. The modular section of the facility provides additional space for staff welfare areas, an area that we were keen to include in this contract.

“We are delighted to have worked with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board on this project, assisting in reducing the elective care backlog in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan”.