Rivers Hospital has four operating theatres with a team of dedicated and competent staff. All theatres have a laminar flow system which changes and filters the air in the operating theatres hundreds of times per minute. This makes the operating theatres ultra clean. To maintain this consistent high level a Consultant Microbiologist participates in the Hospital Infection Control Team and advises on all relevant issues. Microbiology reports are analysed and collated to determine any indicators of hospital acquired infection.
The department’s activity is predominately elective surgery and currently operates on the following areas:
- Gastroenterology
- Paediatric
- Breast / reconstructive surgery
- General surgery
- Pain management
- Cardio version
- Gynaecology
- Plastics
- Colorectal surgery
- Laparoscopic
- Reconstructive surgery
- Cosmetic surgery
- Ophthalmology
- Spinal surgery
- Ear, Nose and Throat
- Oral Maxillo facial Urology
- Endoscopy
- Orthopaedic
- Vascular
- Weight Loss Surgery
Day unit
Our newly refurbished day unit is fully equipped to cater for patients undergoing procedures where a bedroom or overnight stay is not required.
This facility ensures patients spend a reduced amount of time at the hospital, where clinically appropriate, and can return to their normal activities as soon as possible.
Wards
Rivers is a 59 bedded hospital divided into two wards. Orchard Ward which specialises in caring for Orthopaedics, General Surgery and Medical Patients and Meadow Ward which looks after ENT, Gynaecological, Urology, Cosmetic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Oral & Maxillo Facial and Chemotherapy Patients. The Rivers Hospital was listed in the Top 100 places for nurses to work in The Nursing Times Surveys in 2007 (14th place), 2009 (4th place) and 2010 (9th place).
All patient rooms have en-suite bathroom facilities. Patients are looked after by trained nurses supported by healthcare assistants. Rivers has close association with Anglia Ruskin University and Hertfordshire University and actively supports student nurse training. The Rivers Hospital has been highly commended by ARU for the training environment that we offer their students.
All patients must be admitted under the care of a Consultant. A Resident Medical Officer is available 24 hours a day for on site medical support. We have a Matron, Senior Nurse Managers and Senior Nurse Specialists for Oncology /Chemotherapy, Cosmetic/Plastic surgery and Orthopaedics, Critical Care and Breast Care. Nationally the hospital acquired infection rate (all infections) is 5%. (National Audit Office), however at Rivers this figure is 0.2%.
Although we very rarely have patients who develop MRSA in the Rivers, we do have patients that have been transferred from another Hospital or Nursing home who are positive for MRSA. These patients are isolated until they are free of infection. All patients undergoing major surgery are screened at our Pre-Admission clinic for MRSA. If a patient is transferred in from another hospital, the patient will be MRSA swabbed and barrier nursed until we have clear results. All of our staff are also trained to understand the importance of hand washing when dealing with patients.
