Enhancing Theatre Capacity Management at Cambridge University Hospitals

Adapting Theatre Capacity in a Post-Pandemic Era

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) had to quickly adapt their operating theatre schedules to address a significant increase in demand. This rebalancing was necessary to ensure that both emergency procedures and routine care could continue smoothly throughout this challenging period. As the immediate impacts of the pandemic began to stabilise, CUH shifted focus to developing a more sustainable approach to theatre allocation. The objective was to analyse the current demands in comparison to capacity to identify the most effective scheduling strategy that would optimise theatre allocation by specialty and division, thereby reducing waiting lists and effectively balancing emergency procedures with routine care.

By assessing elective and emergency data, as well as the changing patterns in patient needs, CUH wanted to evaluate whether a return to pre-COVID scheduling was viable or if a new, evidence-based theatre allocation model might better serve their goals of efficiency and high-quality patient care.

Developing a Data-Informed Strategy for Optimising Theatre Use

To assist the trust in effectively managing their resources, our team developed a model that utilised patient-level theatre and waitlist data to quantify demand by specialty and urgency. Concurrently, we evaluated capacity data detailing the number of theatres allotted to each specialty—taking into account all aspects of operations, such as equipment and staffing. This model, refined with qualitative insights from clinical leads, offered a comprehensive view of the demand and the theatre capacity available to meet them.

Data Insights Guide a Forward-Thinking Allocation Approach

Our in-depth look at CUH’s theatre usage and waiting lists gave us a clear idea of how they could match the theatre resources with patient needs more closely. We kept track of how emergency care demands were influencing planned surgery schedules, identifying areas where our capacities might fall short. We also considered factors such as each specialty’s out-of-hours workload and changes in specialty-specific demand since COVID-19 began, adding important context to capacity planning.

The project was key in supporting us to transition to a stable but optimal theatre schedule once our theatre capacity was restored. The team provided externality to affirm our own data modelling, and were considerate to the views of stakeholders.  It was a positive experience to work with colleagues at Edge Health.

Linda Clarke, Director of Planned Care

The insights from our analysis equipped CUH with a stronger foundation for decision-making around theatre allocations. Our findings highlighted areas with potential shortages and surpluses, enabling CUH to anticipate and manage patient wait lists more strategically. With this knowledge, CUH was set to refine their planning for elective and emergency care, directing theatre resources to where they would make the most impact. The result was a targeted allocation of new theatre spaces to specialties most in need, striving to enhance patient care and experience within the hospital.