New figures show recovery times being cut for knee and hip replacement patients at Hospital of St Cross

A pioneering new approach is helping knee and hip replacement patients at the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby, return home quicker than ever.

The Rugby Ambulatory Orthopaedic Service (RAOS) was introduced by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, which runs the site, in 2024.

Its aim was to bring together a wide variety of teams and services to further enhance the experience of those undergoing surgery. Outcomes in the first 18 months have been impressive, with results so far including:

• A reduction in the length of stay of 3.9 days for hips and 3.7 days for knees to 2.6 and 1.7 days respectively
• RAOS is the fifth best performer in England and second best in the Midlands for knee replacement length of stay,
• RAOS in the top quartile in the country for both hip and knee replacements

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Professor Richard King said: “The results we are seeing are a testament to the dedication and ambition of everyone involved.

“It’s wonderful to offer patients in Rugby and surrounding areas a high-quality service that we are sure will continue to go from strength to strength.”

As part of the new approach, additional pre-op clinics are held in Outpatients to assess patients, undertake blood tests and X-rays, provide information and obtain consent.

On the day of surgery, hip and knee replacement patients now have access to the Cedar Ambulatory Recovery Unit, located on Cedar Ward. This contains 10 trolleys, costing £39,000 and funded by the Friends of St Cross, to easily move patients between the ward, theatres and X-ray.

As a dedicated area for Orthopaedics, the unit supports patients to be promptly discharged – where it is safe and practical to do so following thorough assessments – instead of remaining in hospital. This helps avoid unplanned and longer than necessary hospital stays and allows patients to recover in the comfort of their own homes.

The success of RAOS saw it crowned the 2025 winner in the Chief Executive Officer (Team) category in the Trust’s Outstanding service and Care Awards (OSCAs).

Juliet Starkey, Group Director of Operations for the Hospital of St Cross, added: “Our vision is to develop the site as the Trust’s elective surgical hub and centre for excellence. It’s wonderful to see the benefit this is bringing to our patients.”

The figures come from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, a national NHS England initiative designed to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth review of services, benchmarking and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change.