Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has announced a major step forward in delivering faster, safer recovery for patients undergoing knee replacement surgery, as part of its commitment to the NHS Long Term Plan and its ambition to transform elective care.
The Trust has set a bold target of 40% of all knee arthroplasty patients to return home within 23 hours of their operation. This marks a significant improvement on the current average length of stay of just over two days, and a dramatic reduction from five days just one year ago.
The Trust is preparing to move all 23‑hour arthroplasty patients to the new Sandwell Theatre (South Hub) when it opens this autumn. This will create additional capacity, reduce waiting times, and free up beds at the Midland Met hospital for patients with more complex needs.
Diane Wake, Group Chief Executive, said: “This is exactly the kind of innovation the NHS Long Term Plan calls for. By redesigning pathways and embracing new technology, we are helping patients recover more quickly, reducing pressure on beds, and increasing the number of people we can treat. It’s better for patients, better for staff, and better for the NHS.”
The service is led by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Atul Malik, whose team is pushing boundaries to deliver improvements and reduce waiting lists. Specific changes include extending theatre working hours to providing specialist physiotherapy on the recovery ward for longer into the evening post surgery. Improvements are designed to offer patients the opportunity to get home sooner and by using advanced robotic‑assisted technology to deliver highly precise joint replacements, recovery times are reduced.
Mr Malik explained: “Robotic‑assisted surgery allows us to tailor joint replacement with exceptional accuracy, which supports faster recovery and improved outcomes. We are proud of the progress already made and look forward to performing our first total hip replacement using this technology in the coming months.”
Mark Sanders, 63, was living with severe pain following an accident on the stairs, compounded by arthritis, he was surprised to be offered surgery sooner than expected. He explained: “I was anxious about the procedure, but for me it was a no‑brainer. I just want to get back to the normal life some of us take for granted. Being called in early due to a cancellation was a real boost, and I’m looking forward to having my mobility back.”