Every year more than 8,000 NHS patients have surgery at the Churchill, many for cancer, and almost all of them will spend time in the Day Surgery Unit. For those requiring an inpatient stay, the vast majority will also start their hospital visit in the unit before being taken to a ward.
The unit was originally constructed in the 1980's to support five operating theatres. 30 years on, and with a rapidly growing demand for surgery thanks to advances in treatment, it was supporting double that number. As a result, the unit had become cramped and uncomfortable, offering little by way of privacy or dignity.
In 2016, the Day Surgery Unit underwent much needed re-development including six new consulting rooms within the unit. Previously, pre-assessment consultations with patients of either sex took place in small cubicles separated only by a curtain, offering little by way of dignity or respect.
The new, spacious, sound-proofed rooms represent a significant improvement, and in particular, there is now one consulting room specifically designed for breast cancer patients. For the first time, the breast team is able to see patients in their own dedicated area, equipped with a full length mirror, appropriate lighting, storage and screens to view pre and post op images.
The Ashley Charitable Trust is delighted to recognise the ethos of the Jane Ashley name and tradition to be extended to the Ashley Day Surgery Unit.