A new treatment bay at the Countess of Chester Hospital has saved more than £32,000, according to the trust.

Introduced earlier this year, the Procedure Bay was created to provide a safer and more efficient way of treating patients who need urgent procedures but do not require a full operating theatre.

Based in the theatre recovery area, the dedicated space is used for anaesthetic procedures including nerve catheter insertions and complex intravenous access.

The trust says the new approach allows suitable patients to be treated more quickly in a calmer setting, while freeing up operating theatres for more complex cases.

Since launching, the Procedure Bay has supported 20 urgent procedures and freed up 27 hours of operating theatre time.

The trust estimates this has saved around £32,400, while also helping to reduce waiting times and improve the use of theatre capacity.

Following the success of the pilot, the Procedure Bay has now become part of routine practice across the hospital.

Consultant anaesthetist Thomas Rudnick, lead for emergency theatres, said the team was proud of the impact the initiative was having.

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He said: "Our new procedural area in theatre recovery is a first of its kind initiative in the region which we're extremely proud of.

"Our biggest success so far has been with the insertion of nerve catheters for patients with rib fractures and serious circulation problems.

"They are now being inserted far more efficiently, greatly improving patients' experience and outcomes, as well as saving hours of emergency theatre time and Trust expenditure."

Medical director Nigel Scawn said the project showed how changes to working practices could benefit both patients and staff.

He said: "This initiative is a great example of how innovation and teamwork can deliver real benefits for patients and staff.

"By creating a more efficient pathway for urgent procedures, we are not only improving patient experience and outcomes but also making better use of our theatre capacity so we can treat more people more quickly."