Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 208-2026
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. Operating theatres: capacity and condition
1a. As at the most recent date, how many operating theatres does the trust have in use? Please break this down by type: standard, laminar-flow, day-case or procedure, and hybrid (with integrated imaging).
Our response:
The Trust has three operating theatres in use. These are dedicated day surgery theatres located within community hospitals. The Trust does not hold a further breakdown by standard, laminar-flow, day-case or procedure, and hybrid theatre type in the format requested.
The dedicated day surgery units within our community hospitals provide local access to surgery run by consultants from the acute hospitals at Gloucester or Cheltenham, managed by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Surgery undertaken includes:
- General Surgery
- Colo-rectal
- Breast surgery
- Gynaecology
- Urology
You asked:
1b. For each operating theatre, please give the year it was built or last fully refurbished (a full refurbishment includes a new HVAC, that is, heating and ventilation, system).
Our response:
Stroud Theatre: more than 20 years since build or full refurbishment.
Cirencester Theatre: more than 20 years since build or full refurbishment.
Tewkesbury Theatre: more than 14 years since build or full refurbishment.
You asked:
1c. Does the trust hold an estate register or list of its operating theatres? If so, please provide it or its key fields.
Our response:
The Trust holds a list of its operating theatres. The theatres are: Stroud Theatre, Cirencester Theatre and Tewkesbury Theatre.
You asked:
1d. What was the average operating-theatre utilisation rate over the most recent twelve months (for example, the percentage of available session time used)?
Our response:
The Trust does not hold an average operating-theatre utilisation rate for the most recent twelve-month period in the format requested.
You asked:
1e. How many operating theatres, if any, are currently out of use or operating under restriction, and for what recorded reason?
Our response:
None.
You asked:
2. Surgical hubs
2a. Does the trust operate an elective surgical hub (a unit given over to planned surgery with ring-fenced theatres and staff)? If yes, please give the year it opened and the number of theatres it contains.
Our response:
The Trust does not operate an elective surgical hub as defined in the request. The Trust provides elective-only day surgery services, but these are not classified as elective surgical hubs.
You asked:
2b. Is any such hub accredited under the GIRFT Elective Hub Accreditation programme?
Our response:
Not applicable.
You asked:
2c. Are there approved or planned schemes to create or expand a surgical hub within the next five years? If so, please give a brief description, the number of theatres, and the expected date.
Our response:
Not applicable.
You asked:
3. Endoscopy and diagnostics
3a. How many endoscopy procedure rooms does the trust have in use?
Our response:
Three.
You asked:
3b. At the most recent date, what is the size of the endoscopy waiting list and the longest wait, if not already published?
Our response:
The Trust does not hold the information requested. Waiting lists and the longest wait will be held by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
You asked:
3c. Are there approved or planned schemes to add endoscopy or community diagnostic capacity within the next five years? Please describe briefly, with expected dates.
Our response:
The Trust does not currently hold information on any approved or planned schemes to add endoscopy or community diagnostic capacity within the next five years.
You asked:
4. Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD)
4a. Is the trust’s Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) provided in-house or outsourced? If outsourced, to which provider, where recorded?
Our response:
The Trust’s Central Sterile Services Department provision is outsourced to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
You asked:
4b. . In what year was the main CSSD facility built or last significantly refurbished (a significant refurbishment includes replacing essential components such as sterilisers)?
Our response:
Not applicable.
You asked:
5. Endoscope decontamination
5a. Is the trust’s endoscope decontamination provided in-house or outsourced? If outsourced, to which provider, where recorded?
Our response:
In-house.
You asked:
5b. In what year was the main endoscope decontamination facility built or last significantly refurbished (a significant refurbishment includes replacing essential components such as AERs, the machines that clean endoscopes)?
Our response:
Stroud Endoscopy AERs and drying cabinets were replaced between November 2024 and February 2025.
You asked:
5c. In the last three years, has any decontamination or sterilisation facility had unplanned downtime that required temporary or contingency arrangements? If so, please describe briefly.
Our response:
No.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss20@nhs.net
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.