The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) has been rated as one of the best hospitals in the country for emergency abdominal surgery, following the publication of a national report.
The latest National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) highlights the work of the surgical and anaesthetic teams at NNUH as an area of best practice for quality of care.
What is the NELA?
The NELA audit is carried out annually by the Royal College of Anaesthetist’s Centre for Research and Improvement, Royal College of Surgeons and Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.
An emergency laparotomy is an operation carried out for patients who have suffered major abdominal problems, such as blockages or perforations in the intestine.
The latest report, which compared hospital care and outcomes of patients between April 2023 and April 2024, singled out NNUH and Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport as having some of the best outcomes.
The level of care received by 23,560 NHS patients admitted for emergency surgery in 176 hospitals was looked at across England and Wales.
‘National acknowledgement’
Bernard Brett, Medical Director at the NNUH, said: “This is great news as it represents a national acknowledgement of the excellent work we do as a hospital in emergency surgical care.
“It reflects how well we work together across departments, including the Emergency Department, the Same Day Emergency Care (Surgical) unit and Radiology in making a timely diagnosis and decision.”
Nick Sauders, Consultant Anaesthetist and Service Director for Anaesthetics, said: “We were delighted to see our service recognised nationally in the NELA report.
“It reflects the importance we place on ensuring these complex patients receive the best possible care from highly qualified staff 24 hours a day.”
Read the full NELA report here.