PATIENTS at Northern Hospital Epping are receiving better care when it comes to plastic surgery, with a dedicated plastic surgery procedure room improving access times for treatment, while simulataneously reducing pressure on outpatient clinics and hospital beds.
The procedure room supports the plastic surgery team’s innovative See and Treat Skin Cancer Excision and Minor Trauma Surgery Clinic, which enables suitable patients to be assessed and treated through a streamlined pathway.
For skin cancer patients, consultation and treatment can often be provided during a single visit, reducing delays, unnecessary hospital attendances and the need for procedures to be performed in the main operating theatre.
The facility is also playing an increasingly important role in managing minor trauma. Injuries that may previously have required admission to hospital and access to a main theatre can now be treated efficiently in the procedure room, allowing patients receive timely care while freeing up beds and theatre capacity for those requiring more complex treatment.
Approximately 20 per cent of the plastic surgery department’s elective and trauma operating activity is now undertaken in the procedure room, demonstrating its significant impact on the way the service delivers care.
Dr Stephen Goldie, plastic surgery fellow at Northern Health, highlighted the benefits of the model for both patients and the broader health service.
“The plastic surgery team’s innovative See and Treat Skin Cancer Excision and Minor Trauma Surgery Clinic exemplifies Northern Health’s values of Safe, Kind and Together, while directly supporting all five strategic priorities,” he said.
“The clinic delivers a safe, positive experience by combining consultation and treatment into a single visit wherever possible, minimising delays, anxiety and unnecessary hospital attendances.”
The procedure room is also supporting the development of the next generation of clinicians.
Medical students and junior doctors regularly use the space for practical learning, gaining supervised experience in minor surgical procedures, trauma management and patient care.
The success of the plastic surgery procedure room demonstrates how innovative approaches to healthcare delivery can improve the patient experience while making better use of hospital resources.
By bringing assessment, treatment and education together in one dedicated clinical space, the plastic surgery team is creating a more efficient, sustainable and patient-focused model of care.
