CARDIFF and Vale University Health Board is looking at all options to increase cardiac surgery capacity.

The health board says it is examining detailed proposals to allow patients to be treated more quickly.

Chief executive Adam Cairns said the UHB was working with surgeons on a range of actions to make sure the health board was making the most of the resources it had available, looking at what other capacity could be provided and improving how it manages unscheduled, emergency, care.

Mr Cairns said the need for the action had been reinforced following a report of a day long planned meeting from the Royal College of Surgeons in April where surgical staff at University Hospital of Wales raised concerns. It discussed the impact of increased pressure on unscheduled and the knock-on effect of that pressure on cardiac, cancer and other services.

Chief executive Adam Cairns said: “We know that we can do better and we have given priority to the issues raised in the RCS report. Some of the concerns identified in that document echo those raised by colleagues during our listening exercise earlier this year and work has been underway to address those.

“In addition to that we have developed a detailed action plan, working with clinical staff within the health board, to make sure that we are addressing all areas and inviting the RCS to visit us again in September.”

Mr Cairns said that a copy of the updated action plan would be published online shortly.

He said: “One of the main areas of concern has been the pressure on unscheduled care, seen here in Cardiff and the Vale, Wales and across the UK, and the impact that has on other services.

“A great deal of engaging with clinical teams and partners such as the third sector and local authorities has been done over these issues and a number of pieces of work, directed and driven by clinical staff, are now starting to take effect.”

Mr Cairns said action had also been taken addressing specific concerns including ring fencing hospital beds for paediatric and short stay surgery, investment in remodelling the Emergency Unit to increase the number of paediatric and adult resuscitation bays and investment in theatre capacity.

Dr Graham Shortland, the UHB’s medical director, said that the newly formed clinical boards and surgical staff had been instrumental in developing a way forward for addressing the issues raised and work to improve surgical capacity and resilience of all services.

He said: “A great deal of work has already been done but there is more planned. The Royal College of Surgeons have acknowledged that we have been upfront and open about the challenges we face.

“We have agreed for them to visit the hospital again in September to see what we have been doing and we would like to reassure everyone that we will continue working with them and clinical colleagues in addressing these challenges.”