Enhanced Recovery.

Mr Banim's patients who need a hip or knee replacement, both in the private and NHS sectors, can benefit from the enhanced recovery program (or rapid recovery program) that has been developed locally.

Working closely with anaethetists, physiotherapists and ward staff, patients can now benefit from being got up on the day of surgery, and discharged back to the safety of their own home much sooner.

This is possible because of changes in surgical and anaesthetic practice, along with proactive nursing and physiotherapy. We also try to provide more information to the patient before the operation, and plan for the homeward journey even before the operation.

The advantages to the patient are of reduced post-operative pain, shorter hospital stay, less nausea and sickness, less complications and better longterm outcomes.

As a result of these changes most patients are going home three days after their operation, and have been delighted with the process.

It is not intended that patients should be sent home when they are not ready for discharge, and if there are any concerns, these can be taken into account.