Press release – issued 20 May 2026
2026/007
Hereford County Hospital’s Surgical Hub awarded National Accreditation for high standards
A dedicated day‑case surgical hub at Hereford County Hospital has been nationally recognised for delivering high‑quality clinical care and operational standards for patients.
The hub, which opened 18 months ago, has been officially accredited by NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) national quality assessment scheme, working in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
The GIRFT team visited Hereford County Hospital’s surgical hub to evaluate five elements: the patient pathway, staff and training, clinical governance and outcomes, facilities and ring-fencing, and utilisation and productivity.
Hereford County Hospital’s surgical hub is one of 69 hubs to date that have been accredited. There are 126 hub sites currently in operation in England. The accreditation scheme has been running since March 2023 with quarterly cohorts to accredit all hubs.
While it is not mandatory for Trusts to seek accreditation, the long-term goal is for every elective hub to be accredited.
The purpose-built surgical hub brings together expert clinical teams in one dedicated unit with protected theatres and facilities, which reduces the risk of short-notice cancellations. The hub focuses on high volume low complexity day case patient surgery, including urology, orthopaedics, dental, ENT, gynaecology, cataracts and general surgery.
Andy Parker, chief operating officer at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to receive this accreditation, which recognises the excellent high‑quality care provided by our day‑case surgical hub team. The hub has gone from strength to strength since it was opened 18 months ago, with significantly increased capacity and productivity enabling us to see and treat patients more quickly, reduced waiting times and improved patient experience.”
Professor Tim Briggs, GIRFT programme lead and NHS England’s National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery, said: “We have been impressed with the professionalism and enthusiasm of the hub teams who are delivering outstanding care.
“All of the sites we accredited are focused on delivering safe and high-quality care, and an excellent patient experience. GIRFT’s focus is on developing surgical hubs with the aim of improving patient flow so that patients have shorter waits for surgery and, for some procedures, will be more likely to be able to go home on the same day.”
Photo
Professor Tim Briggs, GIRFT programme lead and NHS England’s National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery, pictured centre back row, with the Wye Valley NHS Trust surgical hub team and senior managers.
Ends
Notes to Editors WVT:
- Wye Valley NHS Trust is a provider of health services across Herefordshire and beyond. The Trust exists to improve the wellbeing, independence and health of the people we serve.
- By working closely with our partners, we can make good our promise to deliver a quality of care we would want for ourselves, our families and our friends.
- With an estimated annual turnover of around £400 million, we employ around 4,000 staff. We aim to build new relationships between our staff, patients, service users and their carers with the wider community.
For further information please contact:
Fiona Gurney, communications officer, or John Burnett, Communication and Engagement Manager, Wye Valley NHS Trust: 01432 372928