Hospital gets high praise for care of hip-break patients

Nationally renowned surgeon Professor Chris Moran analysed the care given to more than 800 people a year who attend Worthing Hospital and St Richard’s Hospital, in Chichester, having fractured their hip.

Within the last two years, the way patients are cared for at the hospitals, which are run by Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, has been completely transformed by the clinical teams involved.

And Prof Moran concluded the results were impressive.

He said: “The hip fracture care pathway at Western Sussex is an exemplar of good practice:

“If you were to write a textbook on current best practice in hip fracture care, the Western Sussex model would be it.

“The care pathway focuses on the needs of these elderly patients and has produced significant improvements in the quality of care, length of stay and mortality since its introduction.”

The report highlighted the ‘excellent’ communication and teamwork of all the different staff groups involved in delivering the high-quality care.

Patients are admitted under the care of orthogeriatricians – medical specialists with expertise in managing frail, elderly patients with fractures – and these specialists work with orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

Dr Phillip Barnes, medical director at the trust, said: “This group of patients is particularly vulnerable, and so it is essential that the care they are given is the best it can possibly be.

“Our clinical teams have worked wonders to transform the way they work, and so to transform the care that patients receive.

“We have known for some time that their work has been having a really positive impact for patients, but this report is a very welcome confirmation – the teams aspired to give the very best care, and Prof Moran’s view is that local patients are indeed receiving a standard of care which rivals anywhere else in the country.”