A PRIVATE hospital in Winchester has been recognised for its best practice and safety in operating theatres.

Sarum Road Hospital, part of the Circle Group Health, received the award after it was assessed by the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP).

The body is committed to improving patient care in preoperative practice by recognising, celebrating and sharing guidance. Founded in 1964, AfPP assesses hospitals across five key specialist topics, including determining and promoting best practice, facilitating education and practice development, providing a forum for partnership with industry, shaping healthcare policy and providing professional support services.

AfPP also works on best practice initiatives in the NHS and encourages a culture of reflection and exchange between operating theatre teams across the country. 

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Achieving the accreditation can take months to secure. A 2-day independent audit was carried out by external regulators of the theatres, covering three sections of the audit tool as a benchmark to identify and assess best practice, and auditors made recommendations where required. Sarum Road Hospital passed each section of the audit. 

Richard Mayers, director of clinical services at Sarum Road Hospital, said: “We are overjoyed to have been awarded AfPP accreditation after months of hard work by our theatre team. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do here at Sarum Road Hospital and gaining the AfPP accreditation within our theatre department really demonstrates this.”

Executive director of Sarum Road Hospital, Martin Page, added: “It is wonderful to have our commitment to patient safety recognised by the AfPP accreditation team. The team at Sarum Road Hospital have been working tirelessly to ensure they meet the requirements to obtain this award, they are all passionate about the patients and the community they serve.”