A dedicated ‘Super Saturday’ clinic at Worthing Hospital has helped hundreds of patients access specialist vascular care sooner, with 260 people seen in a single day by expert clinical teams, representing 1 in 10 of those waiting for treatment.
The event, held on 19 September, brought together consultants, registrars, nurses and support staff to provide rapid access to vascular outpatient appointments for patients who had often been waiting around a year to be seen.
Patients attended specialist clinics for assessment, review and advice on a range of vascular conditions, including peripheral arterial disease, varicose veins, leg swelling, venous ulceration and other circulatory problems that can affect mobility, cause discomfort and impact day-to-day life.
The initiative is believed to be one of the largest single-day outpatient events of its kind in the NHS and reflects University Hospitals Sussex’s commitment to Excellent Care Everywhere, helping patients access planned care sooner and reducing waiting times.
Amy from Worthing attended the clinic after experiencing symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus, a condition where people hear a rhythmic noise in their head or ears, often in time with their heartbeat.
She said: “I’ve been living with the symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus for several years. Although an MRI last year ruled out anything serious, I’d been waiting since October to see a vascular specialist and was keen to understand what was causing the symptoms and whether anything could be done about them.
“The wait itself wasn’t too difficult, but the uncertainty was frustrating. Something as simple as arranging specialist travel insurance for a family holiday became more complicated because I didn’t have a diagnosis.
“I was delighted to be offered an appointment at the Super Saturday clinic. The doctor was incredibly thorough, took the time to explain everything clearly and really put my mind at ease. It was reassuring to speak directly with a specialist, have my concerns listened to and leave with a clear understanding of what happens next.
“I was also really impressed by how well organised the day was. Everything ran smoothly, and it’s a fantastic initiative to help more patients access specialist care sooner.”
Mr Mark Edwards, Divisional Medical Director for Cancer and Specialist Services and consultant vascular surgeon, said:
“This was a fantastic example of teams coming together to improve access to specialist care for our patients. By seeing 260 patients in a single day, we were able to provide expert assessment and advice for people who had often been waiting many months for an appointment.
“The event helped us make significant progress in reducing waiting times whilst also testing a new approach to delivering outpatient care at scale. It showed what can be achieved when clinical and support teams work together with a shared focus on providing timely, high-quality care.
“Most importantly, patients were able to discuss their condition with a specialist, understand their options and receive a clear plan for the next steps in their care.”
Maria Emmanuel, Divisional Managing Director for Cancer and Specialist Services, said:
“This is a great achievement and reflects the dedication of our divisional team. By creating additional clinic capacity on a Saturday, we have been able to reduce waits for patients needing a vascular specialist appointment while exploring innovative ways to deliver services more efficiently, and at scale.
“I would like to thank every colleague who contributed to making the event such a success. Their commitment and teamwork have helped more patients access specialist assessment sooner and demonstrated what can be achieved when we work together to improve care for our communities.”
Following the success of the initiative, further Super Saturday clinics are being explored to help more patients access specialist services sooner.
Alex Shaw, Chief Delivery Officer for UHSussex said: “Reducing waits for planned care is one of our top priorities as part of delivering Excellent Care Everywhere, and initiatives like this show the difference we can make when teams come together around a shared goal. By creating additional capacity, we’ve helped hundreds of people access specialist assessment sooner, improving their experience whilst supporting our wider efforts to reduce waiting times for patients. This event demonstrates the innovation, teamwork and commitment of our staff to delivering timely, high-quality care for the communities we serve.”
Karin Smyth, Health Minister in the Department of Health and Social Care, said:
“It was fantastic to learn about the brilliant and innovative work of teams at Worthing Hospital. Focused initiatives like this are helping us turn the tide on waiting lists, which have fallen by almost 300,000 since July 2024. We want to take the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS by supporting effective new ways of working that help patients get the care they need sooner. Through our 10-Year Health Plan.”