The NHS is continually striving to improve patient care. Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) initiatives have been proven to benefit patient care, reduce complication rates and shorten length of stay. The drive is efficacy and equity of care for all patients.
Originally developed in colorectal surgery and established in three other surgical specialities (gynaecological, urological and musculoskeletal surgery) the Department of Health, through the NHS Improvement framework, is driving the wider adoption of ERAS. The adoption of enhanced recovery principles in thoracic surgery is gathering pace. Birmingham Heartlands Hospital is at the forefront of driving the development of ERAS in thoracic surgery.
This project will establish the evidence base for key thoracic interventions on the ERAS pathway, show the results of the first national survey of thoracic ERAS practice and highlight the preliminary achievements on patient outcomes. The project will also show the results of visits to other thoracic surgical units and the gap analyses performed on their ERAS pathways. The project will also highlight the construction of the first manual for ERAS in thoracic surgery and patient information booklet. The resulting ERAS pathway can thus be used by others within the speciality of thoracic surgery to promote and enhance the care of their patients
