A CORNISH surgical hub has been officially accredited for delivering high standards of clinical care and operational practice as part of an NHS England quality assessment scheme.

St Austell Surgical Hub, run in partnership between Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is helping more patients receive treatment closer to home while reducing waiting times across Cornwall.

The accreditation is awarded through NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of England and supported by the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

The scheme assesses surgical hubs against national standards to help improve patient care and provide faster access to common surgical procedures such as cataract surgeries and hip replacements.

Anneka Southworth, surgery group manager at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust explained what this means for patients and staff.

She said: “It's great to receive this accreditation; it reflects the high-quality care and passion our teams deliver every day. For our patients, this means shorter waits and the opportunity to have their treatment closer to home in a welcoming environment.

“For our staff, being recognised nationally validates the hard work of the clinical and operational teams, strengthening pride, cohesion and retention.

“This accreditation signals that the St Austell Surgical Hub is not only delivering high quality elective care today but is also equipped to expand our capacity, adopt new best practices and continue to reduce waiting times across Cornwall.”

Between October 2024 and May 2026, St Austell Surgical Hub delivered 4,460 procedures across a wide range of specialties, including gynaecology, ophthalmology and oral surgery.

The £15-million modular building has two operating theatres, four recovery bays and six pre-op assessment rooms, as well as a reception and waiting areas. The building is dedicated to the late Mark Duddridge, a former non-executive director on the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Board.

Debbie Richards, chief executive at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted the St Austell Surgical Hub has achieved this accreditation, which is a clear sign of the high-quality care being delivered through this innovative partnership.

“By working closely with colleagues at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, we are using our community hospital to bring expert surgical care closer to home in line with the 10-year Health Plan. It means patients can access the treatment they need more quickly and locally, while maintaining the best standards and outcomes.

“This is at the heart of neighbourhood health. This is NHS partnership working at its best, delivering real benefits for the people of Cornwall.”

Surgical hubs are a key part of national plans to increase capacity for elective care with more dedicated operating theatres and beds to help reduce disruption and improve efficiency.

St Austell Surgical Hub is one of 83 hubs to date that have been accredited. There are 125 hub sites currently in operation in England.

The accreditation scheme has been running since March 2023. While it is not mandatory for trusts to seek accreditation, the long-term goal is for every elective hub to be accredited.