A CARMARTHENSHIRE hospital’s safety in the operating theatre has been praised.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has recognised Werndale Hospital in Bancyfelin, for its outstanding best practice and safety in the operating theatres.

The AfPP assesses five key areas which are: determining and promoting best practice, facilitating education and practice development, providing a forum for partnership with industry, shaping healthcare policy and providing professional support services.

The outcomes of these factors, which are assessed during a two-day independent audit, decide whether a hospital will be given the accreditation or not.

At Werndale, the audit was carried out by external regulators in the hospital’s theatres and covered three sections of the audit tool as a benchmark to identify and assess best practice, with the auditors making recommendations where required.

Werndale passed each of the sections.

Jacky Jones, Werndale Hospital’s executive director, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded AfPP accreditation after months of hard work by our theatre team.

“Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do here at Werndale Hospital and gaining the AfPP accreditation within our theatre department really demonstrates this.”

Gaynor Llewellyn, the hospital’s director of clinical services, said: “It is wonderful to have our commitment to patient safety recognised by the AfPP accreditation team. The team at Werndale Hospital have been working tirelessly to ensure they meet the requirements to obtain this award. They are all passionate about the patients and the community they serve.”

Werndale Hospital is part of the Circle Health Group, the UK’s largest network of independent hospitals.

The AfPP was founded in 1964 and is committed to improving patient care in perioperative practice by recognising, celebrating and sharing guidance. It also works on best practice initiatives in the NHS and encourages a culture of reflection and exchange between operating theatre teams across the country.