Kingston Hospital’s maternity theatre utilisation is at maximum capacity, creating challenges in accommodating scheduled elective procedures, while maintaining the flexibility required to respond safely to emergency maternity activity. Analysis indicates that capacity is required for at least six additional caesarean sections per week currently, with an expectation that this will grow further. This increase can no longer be sustainably accommodated within existing theatre arrangements and is negatively impacting service delivery, patient flow and staff efficiency.

Plans have been finalised to create a new elective centre within the ground floor of Kingston Hospital’s maternity building to comprise: one obstetrics theatre (the ventilation is already in place), an anaesthetic prep room and dirty utility, eight rooms for post operative recovery, a staff area, along with showers and WCs.

Creating a new standalone elective centre for caesareans would provide the additional capacity that is desperately needed, while delivering significant operational and clinical benefits including:

• Improved patient flow and enhanced patient experience.
• Greater certainty regarding procedure timings.
• Cancellations and delays minimised.
• A quieter and less stressful environment.
• Improved privacy and dignity for the patient.
• Enhanced patient satisfaction through a more streamlined and predictable care pathway.
• Improved admission, procedure, recovery and discharge processes.
• Improved staff experience, as they will no longer have to manage competing elective and emergency demands within the same clinical space, which is stressful.

Its development will increase operational resilience across the hospital’s maternity service by protecting elective activity from emergency demand fluctuations; maintaining delivery suite capacity for urgent and emergency care; supporting future growth in birth activity and caesarean section rates; and improving overall theatre productivity and utilisation.