A dedicated Plastic Surgery Procedure Room in Ward 19 at Northern Hospital Epping is transforming the way patients receive care, providing faster access to treatment while reducing pressure on outpatient clinics, hospital beds and main operating theatres.

The Procedure Room supports the Plastic Surgery team’s innovative “See & Treat” Skin Cancer Excision and Minor Trauma Surgery Clinic, which enables suitable patients to be assessed and treated through a streamlined pathway.

For skin cancer patients, the model combines consultation and treatment into a single visit wherever possible, reducing delays, unnecessary hospital attendances and the need for procedures to be performed in the main operating theatre.

The facility is also playing an increasingly important role in managing minor trauma. Injuries that may previously have required admission to hospital and access to a main theatre can now be treated efficiently in the dedicated Procedure Room, helping patients receive timely care while freeing up beds and theatre capacity for those requiring more complex treatment.

Approximately 20 per cent of the Plastic Surgery Department’s elective and trauma operating activity is now undertaken in the Ward 19 Procedure Room, demonstrating its significant impact on the way the service delivers care.

By reducing reliance on resource-intensive operating theatre time and inpatient admissions, the model is also expected to deliver meaningful cost savings while maintaining timely access to specialist surgical care.

The team’s innovative approach was recently recognised at Northern Health’s Staff Recognition Awards, with the Plastic Surgery, Ward 19 Procedure Room Team receiving the Innovation Award. The team was nominated by Dr Stephen Goldie, Plastic Surgery Fellow, Northern Health, who highlighted the impact the model is having on both the patient experience and the broader health service.

“The Plastic Surgery team’s innovative ‘See & Treat’ Skin Cancer Excision and Minor Trauma Surgery Clinic exemplifies Northern Health’s values of Safe, Kind and Together, while directly supporting all five strategic priorities. The clinic delivers a safe, positive experience by combining consultation and treatment into a single visit wherever possible, minimising delays, anxiety and unnecessary hospital attendances,” he said.

The Procedure Room is also supporting the development of the next generation of clinicians. Medical students and junior doctors regularly use the space for practical learning, gaining supervised experience in minor surgical procedures, trauma management and patient care.

The success of the Ward 19 Plastic Surgery Procedure Room demonstrates how innovative approaches to healthcare delivery can improve the patient experience while making better use of hospital resources.

By bringing assessment, treatment and education together in one dedicated clinical space, the Plastic Surgery team is creating a more efficient, sustainable and patient-focused model of care, while embodying Northern Health’s values of Safe, Kind, Together.

Pictured (L-R): Dr Stephen Goldie, Plastic Surgery Fellow, Dr Nathan Pinnawala, Plastic Surgeon and Dr Rohan Rajaram, Plastic Surgeon with one of Northern Health’s RMOs posing as a patient. 

Photo credit: Martin Saunders Photography