The impact of rolling theatre closures on core urology training.

Since 2008, government funding of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has decreased significantly. Our hospital, Cork University Hospital (CUH), implemented "cost saving" measures including scheduled operating theatre closures. We studied their affect on urological surgical activity at the hospital. A retrospective review was performed using theatre log books and theatre records to determine the number, type and training status of procedures performed for years 2009 and 2011. Scheduled theatre closures in 2011 resulted in 33 more theatre session cancelations compared to 2009. There was a reduction in the total number of procedures performed from 555 cases in 2009 to 443 in 2011 a 20.2(%) reduction. The number of "training" cases reduced from 325 (58.9%) in 2009 to 216 (48.7%) in 2011 a 10.2% reduction (Table 2). Eight out of the nine "core urology training" procedures reduced in number from 2009 to 2011 (Table 1). We have shown that scheduled theatre closures have reduced the number of procedures performed and have impacted on urology training. Scheduled theatre closures are expected to become more frequent in the future. Potential solutions to lessen the impact include providing simulation training using the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) mobile skills unit during these theatre closures.