OPERATING THEATRES ARTICLES

Richard McAuley looks at the critical role of operating tables in supporting surgical workflows and discusses some of the key trends and innovations that are helping to advance surgical approaches, improve patient safety and integrate with advanced technologies.

The AfPP urged theatre teams to sign up to a ‘behaviours charter’ at its annual conference, highlighting the impact of incivility on patient safety. CSJ reports on the hot topics discussed at the event – from fostering a safety culture in perioperative practice, to human factors learning.

In collaboration, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Vanguard Healthcare Solutions installed facilities, referred to as a ‘mini-hospital’ by Health Board staff, in record time – just six weeks for a dual-procedure endoscopy complex and nine weeks for a four-theatre, two-ward surgical suite.

The Operating Theatres Show 2025 is taking place at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Thursday, 11 September 2025. CSJ provides an overview of the hot topics being explored at the event.

In the wake of elective surgery backlogs and workforce shortages, the imperative to optimise theatre operations has never been more urgent. To overcome systemic inefficiencies, Dries Vanbiervliet argues that healthcare providers must adopt digital tools that enable real-time visibility across theatre, endoscopy, and sterile services.

The Fifth Annual Operating Theatres Show 2025 took place earlier this year at the Kia Oval. Organised by the Institute for Government & Public Policy, high on the agenda was the need to ‘think day case first’, to further the recovery of elective surgery.

A new survey by the Confederation of British Surgery (CBS) has identified continuing gender bias in surgical disciplines. The feedback suggests that women face barriers that men do not. In this article, the surgical trade union comments on the latest findings and calls on the surgical community to take action.

Operating rooms (ORs) are among the most vital and resource-intensive areas of any hospital. They are central to surgical care and a major driver of hospital productivity.¹ Yet, despite their critical role, ORs are often hindered by inefficiencies that compromise patient outcomes, strain staff wellbeing, and reduce overall operational effectiveness.² A recent pan-European report, The Non-Value Report, sheds light on these challenges and offers a practical framework for improvement. Mikael Olsson provides an insight.

In this article, Minija Joseph and colleagues at the King’s College NHS Foundation Trust discuss the critical role of theatre nurses and anaesthetic practitioners in robot-assisted surgery.

The AfPP Robotics Symposium was recently held at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which has achieved some impressive milestones and advances in robotic surgery in recent years. Leading experts gathered at the centre to discuss the challenges and opportunities in this pioneering field. Louise Frampton reports.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS looks at the latest surgical trends – from robots and artificial intelligence to 3D printing and virtual reality. She considers the steps that theatre teams need to take to ensure safe implementation of new technologies.

Brandon Medical discusses the evolution of operating table technology and highlights a step forward with the launch of Anteris Ultra.

Despite playing a vital role in surgery and patient care, Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are still one of healthcare’s best-kept secrets. National ODP Day took place on Wednesday 14 May, this year, and provided an opportunity to celebrate the people behind the scenes who make surgery possible. Susan Preston, from the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), shines a light on their vital work.

Peter Sedman, from the Confederation of British Surgery, discusses the case for surgical hubs and highlights some of the successes that have been achieved, using this approach, across the UK.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust’s Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Team provide an insight into patient-reported SSI surveillance, using the latest smart-phone technology. The team have identified ‘five pillars of post-discharge surveillance’, as part of the ‘SWIFT’ approach (Smart, Well-connected, Inclusive, Flexible, and Therapeutics).

Your practice, your robot, your choice: meet Versius, the surgical robot designed for you…

At the recent OneTogether conference held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, insights were shared by experts and professionals interested in reducing the occurrence of surgical site infection. Kate Woodhead RGN DMS provides an overview of some of key learning points shared at the event.

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson offers an insight into the innovation taking place to transform NHS operating theatres for a smarter, more efficient healthcare future.

Oliver Tierney, the new President of The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP),the UK’s leading membership organisation dedicated to hospital theatre practitioners and improving perioperative care, has stepped into the role with a clear vision: to influence positive change in healthcare and safety in hospital operating theatres for staff and patients.

Effective communication is essential for a smooth day in the operating theatre. It also plays a vital role in preventing patient harm, minimising never events, and reducing human error. Dora Bilan examines aspects of intraoperative communication – specifically focusing on the contribution and expertise of neurodiverse individuals, and analysing the surgical team behaviour.