Our services

We have a complement of 86 elective beds, including a 25-bedded acute surgical admissions ward. Critical care comprises 10 level one surgical high dependency beds; 6 level 2/3 beds and a 10-bedded intensive care unit. The Anne Ferguson Building opened in August 2001 and provides 9  theatres including a dedicated CEPOD theatre, day bed and GI endoscopy facilities as well as outpatients.

The Unit performs over 1200 operations annually, including 400 major cancer resections, 80 complex exenterations for gynaecological cancer, advanced rectal cancer, recurrent rectal cancer and sarcoma and approximately 40 Ileoanal-pouch procedures. TEMS (transanal endoscopic microsurgery), Sacral Nerve Stimulation, laparoscopic ventral rectopexy and other advanced colorectal procedures are also undertaken. Endoanal ultrasound and anorectal physiology are available on site.

The colorectal unit admits about 20 emergency colorectal patients daily.

The GI endoscopy service supports a full range of interventional modalities including laser therapy, argon plasma coagulation and endoscopic ultrasound. Colonoscopy is supported by the Scope Guide system and a full bowel screening service is undertaken on site.

There is a weekly multidisciplinary Oncology team meeting, at which all cases of colorectal cancer are discussed pre and post operatively. There are weekly unit meetings, which include morbidity and mortality meetings and also a weekly Radiology meeting. The Multi-disciplinary IBD team meets every Friday lunchtime.

The unit also accepts tertiary referrals from other Scottish centres; activity data confirms that the unit received in the last year 6,300 new patient referrals.