Same‑day shoulder surgery 'reduces NHS wait times'

An NHS hospital trust has said same-day shoulder replacement surgeries have reduced average waiting times by more than eight weeks.

The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust (UHDB) said the average wait time for the procedure was six months, which is an eight to 10 week reduction "compared to an acute pathway".

One patient who has benefited from the surgery at Ilkeston Community Hospital is Janice Harrison, 72, who lived with severe arthritis pain in both shoulders for several years.

After the procedure, she said she can now spend time with her grandchildren "pain‑free".

UHDB said it had treated 35 patients through the Ilkeston pathway so far.

Nationally, about 6% of shoulder replacements are carried out as day‑case procedures, according to NHS figures.

UHDB said 46% of its shoulder replacements were completed with same-day discharge.

Total shoulder replacements usually require at least one overnight stay in hospital. However, UHDB said many patients did not need next‑day blood tests or additional monitoring - the main reasons people are kept in overnight.

The surgery is carried out in a laminar‑flow theatre, which is a specialist operating theatre where filtered air flows continuously over the surgical area to reduce the risk of infection, UHDB said.

The pathway also uses regional anaesthesia, known as a nerve block, rather than a general anaesthetic, helping patients recover more quickly and avoid common side effects such as nausea.

Janice had shoulder replacements in 2023 and December 2025, where she was able to go home the same day each time, including being discharged just three hours after her most recent procedure.

Now, four months on, Janice, from Amber Valley, has said she is starting to get her independence back.

"I can move my shoulder much more than before, which has made everyday life much easier," she said.

"I love spending time with my grandchildren, picking them up and cuddling them - but before the operation the pain made me anxious about holding them.

"I've always enjoyed gardening too, but it needs a lot of lifting and pruning, and the pain in my shoulders made it really difficult. Even everyday things became a struggle.

"There's still some pain as I recover, but I'm really happy with the progress I've made so far."

Daniel Morris, consultant trauma and upper limb orthopaedic surgeon at UHDB, said: "This pathway is about delivering modern, evidence‑based surgery in the right setting.

"Early results have been strong, with all patients discharged safely on the same day and no complications or readmissions for those who have had this surgery."

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