Surgical Services

You are here : Home

Surgical Services

Introducing the Surgical Team

Written by Surgical Services

The Surgical Directorate is led by the Clinical Director, Mr. Kieran Dawson. The General Manager is Charlotte Williams and the Manager and Head of Nursing is Brian Marfleet. Kathryn Wood is the Senior Nurse, Surgery based at Ashford Hospital.

We care for patients with general surgical, urological and gynaecological problems who have undergone elective surgery as well as emergency admissions through our busy A & E department. We have three surgical wards in St. Peter’s.

Surgical Unit at St Peter’s Hospital

This unit admits 4,000 elective and emergency in-patients per year and is comprised of 3 surgical wards.

The wards specialise as follows:

Ward Name	Speciality	Bed Capacity
Falcon Ward	Emergency Admissions	28
Kestrel Ward	Elective Admissions	26
Kingfisher Ward	Breast Care & Gynaecology	21

High Dependency Unit

Although part of the Critical Care Directorate, there is a surgical High Dependency Unit of 6 beds based on Kestrel Ward

This is a fully monitored unit and staff are encouraged to rotate if they wish through this unit to enhance their skills in looking after the more critically dependant patient.

Specialist Nurse Support

Supporting the Ward Sisters we have a Clinical Practice Educator and Surgical Discharge Co-ordinator.

There are a number of other specialist nurses who provide support to patients, relatives and members of the multi-disciplinary team in the Surgical Directorate. The Specialist Nurses include:

· Acute Pain Control

· Outreach Nurses

· Diabetes Nurse

· Stoma Care Nurses

· Colorectal Nurse

· Macmillan Nurses

· Infection Control Team

· Tissue Viability/Wound Management Team

· Vascular Nurse:

· Breast Care Nurses

· Urology Nurses

Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals employ Equipment Nurses. The main purpose of the post holders is to:

· Ensure that equipment is available at al times, in safe working order and that records are kept with details of maintenance and use.

· By responsible for the identification of equipment training needs within each Directorate, providing an appropriate teaching programme.

· Provide education, advice and support with regard to use of equipment.

There is a Surgical & Orthopaedic Directorate Pharmacist, together with a Surgery & Audit Pharmacist and a Chief Technician, Medicines Management:

Our Medical Staff

The medical staff consists of Consultants, a rotating team of Registrars, Senior House Officers and House Officers.

The Surgical Specialties are:

· Upper GI

· Colorectal

· Vascular

· Urology

· Obstetrics/Gynaecology

· Breast

The Registrars, together with their team members, do wards rounds every morning. The ‘Grand Round’, with all the consultants and registrars, takes place on a Friday morning.

Other Ward Support

We have clerical support on each ward during weekdays who help with electronic Patient Administration Systems (PAS) and other administrative issues. There is a dedicated Ward Housekeeper for Falcon and Kestrel Wards.

Off Duty

Full time staff hours are 37.5 hours per week.

Early Shift: 07.00 – 15.00

Late Shift: 13.00 – 21.00

Night Shift: 20.15 – 07.45

Meal Breaks

Lunch / Dinner break is 30 minutes

Coffee / Tea breaks are 15 minutes.

Model of Nursing

Team nursing is practised on all wards. The Ward Team is managed by the Ward Sister who has the support of Deputy Sister(s).

Student Nurses

The Trust supports diploma and degree student nurses who are studying with the European Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey.

The Trust also supports students participating in post-registration Diploma and Degree courses and overseas nurses undertaking a period of supervised practice prior to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Health Care Assistants are facilitated to completed NVQ Levels II and III.

Commitment to New Staff

· Clinical Practice Educator is in post who supports all grades of staff.

· All new employees have a mentor during the initial stages of their employment.

· A personalised induction/orientation programme is developed between you and your mentor.

· The Trust Induction is a 3-day programme (2 days for non-clinical staff) which includes a professional nursing day, manual handling and resuscitation.

Telephone Numbers