GIRFT’s HVLC programme supports and enables systems and regions with elective recovery and the development of standardised patient pathways. Following a successful collaboration with the NHS London region in 2020, Professor Tim Briggs will present on how the programme is now driving improvement nationally in six high-volume specialties – ophthalmology, general surgery, trauma and orthopaedics (including spinal surgery), gynaecology, ENT and urology – and how it will support other surgical and medical specialties going forwards.

The session will also focus on how the HVLC programme can support systems to establish fast track surgical hubs for high-volume procedures and agree system-wide theatre principles (e.g. accepting day surgery as the default), and theatre efficiencies (e.g. the number of cases per theatre list).