NHS FIFE expects surgery to operate at 80 per cent capacity by March.

The health board submitted documents to the Scottish Government last week outlining their re-mobilisation plans in the coming months as services get back on their feet.

Their plans to aim for 80 per cent capacity come after a document was published by the Scottish Government that suggested nationally, surgery in Scotland is expected to operate at just 60 per cent capacity for at least two years as a result of the COVID pandemic.

The report also warned that the return to normal levels of operating theatre use could be delayed even longer “if there are further surges in COVID-19 incidence”.

The estimate for across Scotland is set out in the ‘Framework for Recovery of Cancer Surgery’, which details how health boards should go about prioritising cancer patients’ treatment in the face of a “limited surgery resource”.

However, it will be up to local Clinical Prioritisation Groups (CPGs) to monitor this on a weekly basis “to ensure that prioritised patients are apportioned appropriate, and preferential, access to all green-site theatres”.

NHS Fife medical director Dr Chris McKenna said: “Our clinical teams have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure we are prepared to remobilise services as quickly and as safely as possible.

“In order to do this, we are having to put in place significantly-enhanced infection control measures, particularly in relation to theatres and the way they operate.

“This week, we will submit documents to the Scottish Government that will outline our remobilisation plans and detail the robust measures we are taking with a view to operating at an expected 80 per cent capacity by March. This is based on current infection control standards.

“Our plan involves maximising the use of both the Victoria and Queen Margaret hospital sites.”

The Scottish Government paper states that health boards “are expected to upscale elective cancer surgery capacity to meet local demands and to equitably address any backlogs that may have accrued during the COVID-19 outbreak”.

However, it accepts that “this is a challenging task” which may require patients to be referred to neighbouring health boards or national centres – such as the Golden Jubilee – if local demand exceeds theatre capacity.