Wharfedale Hospital: Drivers warned to expect delays as huge mobile theatre removed from Leeds hospital

After a 12 month stay, the Vanguard mobile operating theatre is leaving the hospital, with potential for some delays to traffic while the lorry driver negotiates the tight streets of Otley Town Centre.

The Vanguard Theatre was introduced to reduce the waiting times for surgery to help reduce the elective operation backlog caused by the Covic-19 pandemic. It has been used for a number of procedures including urology, plastics, maxillofacial, colorectal, breast and vascular.

It is not being removed to make way for a new £10 million Elective Care Hub, which is now underway. The hub will include two new operating theatres, a recovery area, admissions and discharge area, expected to open in October 2024.

Rob Armstrong, Associate Director of Operations at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Over the past year The Vanguard Theatre has provided much-needed support in our efforts to reduce our waiting lists for patients waiting for planned operations. It’s been a really positive experience working with the Vanguard team to be able to provide a professional facility which has been just like any other modern operating theatre.

“We appreciate that the removal of the theatre will cause some very short-term disruption through town. We are aiming to keep this to an absolute minimum. Thank you to everyone for your understanding.”

Work to ready the theatre began on Monday (December 11), with the theatre being loaded onto a lorry on Saturday, December 16 ready for transport on Sunday, December 17.

Collection of two of the support units will take place the following week, on Monday to Wednesday, December 18 to 20. And on January 4 to 12, the north entrance of the hospital will be closed to allow for demolition works.

Simon Squirrell, UK Business Director, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, “It’s a pleasure to have been able to help Leeds Teaching Hospitals provide continuous, high quality care to its patients with one of our mobile operating theatres which continue to support many other Trusts and Health Boards in tackling waiting lists across the UK.”