A private hospital’s spotless record in keeping infections at bay has helped its owners win a prestigious national award for the second year running.
The painstaking hygiene regime at Spire Yale Hospital in Wrexham has enabled them to achieve a zero rating for both the bloodstream infection MRSA and Clostridium Difficile – C.Diff.
The hospital and their Consulting Rooms in Abergele are part of Spire Healthcare which clinched the title of Hospital Group of the Year at the 2015 HealthInvestor Awards.
The glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London was hosted by TV and radio broadcaster Jeremy Vine.
The event is one of the main events for the health sector and is run by trade publication, HealthInvestor.
News of the award came not long after Spire Yale achieved a major milestone of 50,000 operations with a 100 per cent success rate in wiping out infections.
Since it first opened in 1988, skilled surgeons at the Spire Yale Hospital have successfully carried out the procedures ranging from hip and knee replacements to bariatric and cosmetic surgery.
Sue Jones Director for Spire Yale Hospital says: “We are delighted to be a part of the Hospital Group of the Year for the second year in succession.
“We are pleased the judges recognised the investments made in the company and the hard work and dedication everyone at Spire Healthcare gives to providing high quality patient care.
“I hope this highlights to the local people of North and Mid Wales and the borders that they have access to a high quality, award-winning hospital, right on their door-step.
“We’re very proud of our record on hospital acquired infections.
“We have a very high level of infection control at the hospital but there is no room for complacency. We are very vigilant because it’s about making sure that everything that needs to be done is done to make sure we maintain our high record.
The 27-bed Spire Yale Hospital is experiencing growing demand from self-paying patients.
She added: ““In the 27 years we’ve been open we’ve seen over 300,000 patients coming to us for consultations and treatment and that number is growing all the time.
“Since the very first operation on November 22, 1988 our surgeons have carried out many thousands of procedures with differing levels of complexity.
“The majority have been orthopaedic operations, such as hip and knee replacement and spinal surgery as well as surgery on feet, ankles, shoulders and hands.
“Apart from orthopaedics, we have carried out lots of cataract surgery on patients’ eyes and also many gall bladder removals, hernia repairs and operations to correct varicose veins, along with a significant number of gynaecological procedures.
“Abdominal surgery has also accounted for quite a number of our operations.”
Sue said that over the years there had also been increasing demand for cosmetic surgery and weight loss surgery in which Spire Yale specialises.
“We now carry out a large number of cosmetic procedures, ranging from breast augmentation and reductions to facelifts and that number is also on the increase, whilst our weight loss surgery provides gastric band, gastric bypass and gastric sleeve procedures,” she explained.
At the same time Spire Yale Hospital’s Consulting Rooms on the North Wales Business Park, in Abergele, has doubled in size.
They have taking over the first floor of the building where they have been based on the ground floor since 2009.
The expansion has enabled the healthcare group to introduce a wide range of new services, including non-surgical cosmetic and beauty treatments. Also on offer are acupuncture, sports massage and chiropody.
The new Spire North Wales Cosmetic Suite in Abergele was officially opened by former TV Gladiator Diane Youdale aka Jet who qualified as a psychotherapist and pilates instructor after leaving the hit show.
Diane and a team of specialist teachers are running the exercise side of the operation, providing classes in pilates, zumba and yoga.
She is also working alongside one of the private hospital’s consultants to help patients tackle obesity and other health issues through her “Core Philosphy” workshops.
Rob Roger, Chief Executive of Spire Healthcare, said: “2014 was a transformational year for Spire Healthcare and a landmark in the company’s history.
“As well as listing on the London Stock Exchange in one of the most successful Initial Public Offerings of the year, 2014 saw Spire deliver a strong year in both trading and development, whilst progressing its mission to bring together the best people, dedicated to developing excellent clinical environments and delivering the highest quality patient care. I am very proud to be leading the people who make Spire so successful.”
