Theatres

Our theatre team undertake more than 13,000 operations every year for inpatients and day surgery patients.

We care for our patients by ensuring that operations are carried out in the safest, most modern surroundings, with high quality care and treatment, provided by our expert theatre surgeons and theatre teams.

Our dedicated theatre team is always looking for ways to improve the service we provide.  We keep up to date with current research and progress, as well as assessing and review our skills regularly. 

We operate on patients from Herefordshire and the surrounding areas, and patients from other areas can choose to be referred to the County Hospital, in Hereford, for surgery.

We work closely with other departments within the Trust, including critical care teams and infection prevention and control. 

Surgical specialities 

We perform many different types of operations in our inpatient and day surgery theatres including: 

• Emergency Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedics
• General
• Gynaecological
• Maxillo Facial
• Urology
• Ear, nose and throat, including major ear surgery
• Ophthalmology
• Breast surgery

Seven theatre suites

There are seven high-tech operating theatre suites located on the ground floor at the County Hospital and one on the delivery suite second floor. Each theatre is equipped to carry out a full range of operations, and operate at the highest standard in order to ensure each operating theatre is maintained to the highest standard.  There is a ten bedded recovery area adjacent to the theatres.

The theatre team consists of a surgeon, registrar, anaesthetist, operating department practitioners, healthcare assistants and ancillary staff.

Before coming to hospital

Here are some things that you can do to prepare yourself for your operation:

• If you smoke, giving up for several weeks before the operation reduces the risk of breathing problems and makes your anaesthetic safer.
• If you are very overweight, reducing your weight will reduce many of the risks of having an anaesthetic.
• If you have loose teeth or crowns, treatment from your dentist may reduce the risk of damage to your teeth if the anaesthetist needs to put a tube in your throat to help you breathe.
• If you have a long-standing medical problem such as diabetes, asthma or bronchitis, thyroid problems, heart problems or high blood pressure (hypertension) you should ask your GP if you need a check up.

On the day of your operation

• Nothing to eat or drink – fasting (‘Nil by mouth’).  The hospital should give you clear instructions about fasting. It is important to follow these.
• If you are a smoker you should not smoke on the day of your operation.
• If you are taking medicines you should continue to take them as usual, unless your anaesthetist or surgeon has asked you not to.
• If you feel unwell when you are due to come into hospital, please telephone the ward for advice.
• Routinely family and friends are not allowed into our Theatre Suite. However, in exceptional circumstances where children are undergoing operations a parent can accompany their child into the anaesthetic room and, if operationally practical, into the recovery areas to provide comfort and support.

Staff vacancies

With more than 104 staff in place to support the effective running of our theatres, we are always looking for new staff to join our teams. 

Kelly’s the friendly face in theatre from start to finish - click here to find out more.

Debbie’s nursing career led her to a job in Theatres - click here to find out more.

We have a variety of jobs for trained theatre staff and experienced nurses including scrub nurses, support workers, theatre and recovery nurses, team leader and senior nurse posts. 

We combine the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment within a highly trained multi-disciplinary team, whilst enjoying the unique benefits of big city living with a country lifestyle in Herefordshire and the surrounding areas.

Join us and we'll provide a supportive working environment, delivering high quality peri and post-operative care in a diverse and interesting theatre, and continuous professional development, including a varied caseload which will broaden your skills and experience.

We have close links with Worcester and Birmingham universities, to provide excellent preceptorship and support programmes.  Feedback from our staff and students is very positive about the education and training we provide at Wye Valley NHS Trust.     

To find out more call 01432 355444 ask for the Theatre office or email Alison.Anderson@wvt.nhs.uk or Ruth.Coulter@wvt.nhs.uk to find out more about our staff vacanicies.  

To apply click here