Surrey Hospital celebrates after obtaining rare private-sector accreditation
Colleagues at The Runnymede Hospital, part of Circle Health Group, are celebrating the announcement that their Endometriosis Centre has been accredited by the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) as a tertiary Centre for the management of complex and severe Endometriosis. The accreditation was officially achieved in late February 2024.
The Runnymede Hospital is now one of the few private-sector hospitals in the UK to have achieved it.
Obtaining “BSGE-Accredited” status requires hospitals to have met a strict set of criteria laid out by the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy. Foremost in the criteria is the need for a dedicated, multi-specialist team of clinicians with experience in managing complex endometriosis. These include an Endometriosis gynaecologist lead, with a supporting team of colorectal and urological surgeons, specialised radiologists, pain and nurse specialists. The team monitor their patient outcomes closely and submit their data to a national audit database, ran by the BSGE. The data, including laparoscopic videos of the surgical team performing laparoscopic excisions to treat recto-vaginal endometriosis, are meticulously reviewed by the scientific advisory group of the awarding body on an annual basis.
Endometriosis can be a debilitating condition that affects ten percent of women in the UK. Approximately two percent of cases are present with severe or deeply infiltrating endometriosis. The disease is characterised by tissue which resembles the endometrium (the lining of the womb’s cavity), growing outside the womb and causing long-term inflammation and scarring, leading to pelvic pain, and in some cases infertility. According to Endometriosis UK, 1.5 million women in the country are living with the disease and the average time for diagnosis can take up to eight years.
Mr Vasileios Minas, Consultant Gynaecologist, and Endometriosis Specialist Surgeon at The Runnymede Hospital has been instrumental in achieving the accreditation.
Commenting on this experience, Mr Minas said:
“This is a remarkable achievement. Deeply infiltrating Endometriosis is one of the most complicated conditions to treat in gynaecology. We see, from our daily clinical experience, that the work we are doing at The Runnymede Hospital is making a tremendous difference to the lives of our patients.
“I am grateful to the BSGE for honouring us with their accreditation. It gives us the confidence and proof going forward that we can deliver good quality and effective care at the highest standard”.
Adelle Johnstone, Executive Director of The Runnymede Hospital, said:
“Achieving the BSGE-accreditation for our Endometriosis Centre is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our gynaecology team. Over the last 12 months, they have worked tirelessly to meet the rigorous standards expected by The British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy. Their work and achievement is a shining example of the dedication to delivering quality care to patients which is at the heart of everything we do at The Runnymede Hospital.”