More than 1,000 patients with serious hand injuries have been treated following new initiative at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

The Norwich Hand Unit has been set up in the Vanguard theatre, in the hospital's Day Procedure Unit, by surgeons and anaethetists to allow patients to receive emergency and elective care during the pandemic.

Previously patients with serious hand injuries had to wait on an emergency assessment unit and receive surgery in main NNUH theatres. The initiative allows patients to be seen without the need to be admitted to hospital or have a general anaesthetic.

Sam Norton, consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon at NNUH, said: “As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, we came up with a plan to isolate this service from the main hospital, which has reduced the risk for patients and has changed our service for the better.

“It has been a positive step and has improved the patient journey by streamlining the service and has lowered infection risk for patients.”