A temporary mobile operating theatre will provide much needed cataract surgery for nearly 700 patients living in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

A state of the art mobile hospital unit, provided by DMC Healthcare, has been installed at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

Following a rigorous commissioning and safety assurance process, surgery commenced this week and will conclude on March 31.

Across the Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) area, there are currently 1,500 people who have waited over 36 weeks for cataract surgery. It is hoped this temporary measure will ensure patients who have waited the longest are treated quickly. It will also bring the added benefit of significantly reducing waiting times for cataract surgery across the three counties.

Joe Teape, director of operations and deputy chief executive at Hywel Dda UHB said: “The commissioning of this temporary mobile theatre recognises that too many of our patients have waited over the 36-week waiting target.

“Our contract with DMC Healthcare will ensure nearly 700 surgeries will be provided by substantive NHS surgeons from England with excellent audit data. A thorough process of due diligence has taken place to ensure the highest levels of patient safety are followed.

“This will allow our eye care teams across the three counties to move forward with a more sustainable solution to managing treatment waiting lists and better utilise existing staff and resources.”

The Laminar Flow Theatre Unit provides all that patients would expect to see in hospital. It has a modern clinical environment consisting of an anaesthetic room; operating theatre; two bed first-stage recovery area; and staff changing rooms.

Phil Curran, managing director of DMC Healthcare, stated: “To date, 84 per cent of patients contacted have been booked into surgery and pre-assessment clinics are already taking place at Glangwili and Withybush Hospitals.

“We are confident that our provision of this unit will help the teams throughout Hywel Dda UHB area offer their patients the highest standard of care and reduce waiting lists. We are delighted to be associated with the project and look forward to reviewing the outcomes.”