Celebration events were held on Friday to mark the official opening of the new Hybrid ‘Super’ Theatre at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
The Royal Devon Hospitals Charity team celebrated the new facility with theatres staff and project contractors at an informal lunchtime gathering, followed by a VIP evening event for charity supporters and volunteers.
The state-of-the-art theatre opened towards the end of last year following a successful £1.4million fundraising campaign by the charity, paving the way for ‘game changing’ surgery at the hospital for patients from across Devon.
High-tech imaging equipment funded through the appeal means surgeons can now perform complex, minimally invasive procedures in a way not possible before, improving outcomes for those with serious vascular conditions, such as aneurysms, arterial blockages and blood clots.
The theatre reduces the need for open surgery, multiple operations, travel out of area, and the amount of time spent in hospital. The additional theatre capacity means the hospital can treat around 1,200 extra patients a year, reducing waiting times for everyone, including cancer and urgent surgery patients.
Speaking at the events on Friday, Hannah Travers, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, called the new theatre ‘a complete game changer’.
“For patients, it means fewer procedures, reduced risk of complications and faster recovery times after surgery,” said Hannah.
“We’re really lucky to have it as so many vascular units across the country still don’t have a hybrid theatre. It means we can deliver the best care using the most modern and advanced surgical techniques.
“It was very special to be able to show guests around the new theatre and explain just how big difference it is making.”
The total cost of the theatre was approximately £7.8m, with NHS England contributing £5.1m towards the project and the charity funding the equipment to make it a truly ‘super’.
It forms part of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s plans to transform surgical services over the next few years. A new surgical hub in the pipeline at Heavitree will specialise in high-volume, medium-complexity day surgery and provide extra recovery space.
Along with the new hybrid theatre, the hub will increase surgical capacity by an extra 3,000 patients a year and help bring the Royal Devon back to a sustainable 18-week referral to treatment position by 2029.
Lucy Ashton, RDHC Head of Charity, said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of the local community, we’ve been able to smash our fundraising target in just 18 months and help deliver a new operating theatre that goes beyond what’s possible with NHS funding alone.
“Our fundraising appeal only went live in October 2024 and came hot off the back of a successful £250,000 appeal to support a new Children’s ED area at the hospital.
“So, to have been able to raise so much money in such a short amount of time is simply phenomenal and we really can’t thank people enough for backing our appeal.
Together, we’ve been able to enhance patient care and save lives in Devon for generations to come.
– Lucy Ashton, Head of Charity, Royal Devon Hospitals Charity
“I’d also like to say a special thank you to theatre contractor Nevada Construction for their contribution to refreshments, and to the brilliant Exeter College catering students for creating and serving some delicious canapes for our guests on Friday evening.”
