Two operating theatres at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds have been refurbished as part of a £2.6 million investment to improve facilities and increase capacity for elective care procedures, helping more patients receive treatment sooner.
The full refurbishment of the operating theatres - including the preparation room, scrub room, anaesthetic room and associated ancillary rooms - involved:
- fully refurbished ventilation systems
- fire safety improvements
- installation of new life safety theatre equipment
- infection prevention and cleanliness improvements
- new lighting and electrical infrastructure to support up to date theatre technology
- new furniture, fixtures and fittings to support compliant storage of clinical supplies
- digital live streaming capability to support staff training.
The improved theatres will support around 2,000 procedures each year and provide an improved and more efficient environment for planned orthopaedic surgery including hip, knee and foot and ankle procedures.
This refurbishment comes as the Trust’s orthopaedic team earned the title of Training Hospital of the Year for the eastern region in June 2026. As part of the refurbishments, the theatres had cameras installed to film procedures so, with patient consent, they can be streamed live or watched back.
This further enhances training for future surgeons at the Trust, allowing them to see step-by-step how complex procedures are conducted and ensure they receive the knowledge and skills needed to provide the highest possible quality of care.
While the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has managed its orthopaedic patients using private sector facilities and the Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre during the refurbishments, having the theatres open again will support increased activity, shorter waiting times and improved patient experience.
One of the first patients to be operated on by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Willem Schenk is Mr Maurice Gill.
Mr Gill, 82 years old from Fornham St Martin who was having his second knee replacement surgery, said:
"I thought [the theatre] was very, very nice, and far, far better than before. As for the operation itself, I can’t fault it, overall, it was great. I had my last knee operation eight years ago, and I’m glad to be on the right side of this one. I also thought my surgeon was very nice."
Consultant Mr Willem Schenk said:
"These refurbished theatres provide a modern environment for our patients and staff, enabling us to deliver high-quality planned surgical care while increasing capacity for elective procedures. Thanks to the hard work and brilliant preparations made by our theatre teams, the first procedures went smoothly and were a great success.”
Dr Ewen Cameron, chief executive officer for the Trust said:
This significant investment in our estate demonstrates our commitment to providing high quality care, and giving our expert staff the best facilities in which to treat our patients as quickly as possible."