A private hospital in Hatfield is working closely with the NHS to provide additional capacity and ease waiting lists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One Hatfield Hospital has offered its support as part of the national contract between the NHS and independent healthcare providers. To date, they have provided urgent surgery and diagnostic interventions to over 2,000 patients who would otherwise have had to wait.
Initially, during the peak of the pandemic, the majority of NHS patients seen at One Hatfield were awaiting urgent surgeries – including many patients needing treatment for head and neck cancer, and children needing urological surgery.
Ear, nose and throat surgeon George Mochloulis has been a consultant at Lister Hospital for 20 years and is the head and neck oncology lead for East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. He has continued to operate on his cancer and urgent NHS patients at One Hatfield Hospital during the pandemic.
Mr Mochloulis said: “The arrangement between the Lister Hospital and One Hatfield Hospital has allowed me to continue to provide the high-quality surgical care our head and neck, thyroid and ear, nose and throat patients required.
“With the help of the excellent staff at One Hatfield, we continue to operate on complex patients successfully. I am very grateful to all of them.”
One Hatfield Hospital has varied its support over the weeks and months throughout the pandemic to meet the needs of the Lister Hospital. They have received large numbers of patients awaiting MRI scans, CT Scan or X-rays, and more recently they have shifted towards providing routine treatment to support the reduction of NHS waiting lists, particularly patients awaiting pain management treatment, or needing hip and knee replacement surgeries.
Andy Wood, hospital and managing director, said: “Supporting our NHS has been a privilege for everyone at One Hatfield Hospital. This important partnership and collegiate approach has really enhanced our relationship with the NHS and it is our hope that it will be springboard to an even stronger relationship in the future, with even better outcomes for NHS patients. We are here to offer our assistance for as long as it is needed.”
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