Lincolnshire patient urges everyone to ‘Ask for Newark Hospital’

Linda Jones, 65, who lives in a village south of Lincoln, recently had shoulder replacement surgery in the hospital’s new state-of-the-art operating theatre, which welcomed its first patients just three months ago.

The new theatre is expected to provide up to 2,600 more operations and procedures at Newark Hospital each year, enabling patients from across Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and surrounding areas, to receive some treatments quicker than they would elsewhere due to shorter waiting times.

Linda was initially on the waiting list to have her operation at Sutton-in-Ashfield’s King’s Mill Hospital, which along with Newark Hospital and Mansfield Community Hospital is part of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. When Linda was told by the consultant that she met the criteria to have her surgery at Newark Hospital, she quickly agreed.

Linda said: “I would recommend Newark any day of the week. I can’t praise the Newark team more. The staff are always friendly, pleasant and smiling and can’t do more for you. You’re never made to feel like you’re just a number.

“This wasn’t my first time receiving treatment at Newark and my husband has also had his treatment there so I was happy to go. You get better care at a smaller hospital as they seem to have more time for you. It’s such a nice hospital to visit and always clean. Everyone should ‘Ask for Newark’.”

David Ainsworth, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “I’m delighted but not surprised to hear about Linda’s experiences. Feedback from patients who have operations at Newark Hospital is overwhelmingly positive. However, patients don’t always realise that Newark Hospital is an option or that waiting lists there tend to be shorter than elsewhere.

“We want Newark Hospital to be a vibrant and valued community asset and we are committed to making best use of the site, including by further improving the services we provide there and the speed that people can access them.

“No matter where you live, it’s worth asking your GP or hospital team if you can have your treatment at Newark. For some people, it may be a little further to travel but you could get back to living a fuller life, faster by asking for Newark.”

Operations carried out in the new theatre are mostly orthopaedic, focusing on hip, knee, shoulder and wrist procedures. There are also slots for general surgery, breast surgery, gynaecology, and ophthalmology procedures across the Newark theatre complex.

You can find out more about Newark Hospital on the Trust’s website www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/Newark.