Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The Challenge

Oxford University Hospitals run a large in-house Neurophysiology service covering the majority of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM) needs for its busy spinal surgery programme. However, the sheer volume of cases, combined with staff absences and competing departmental priorities, meant that some surgical lists risked going ahead without the necessary monitoring support. This created pressure on scheduling, with the potential for costly cancellations and delays.

“Great experience with MediServices – very friendly, responsive, always available and happy to go the extra mile to organise anything last minute if needed. You have contributed to the smooth running of our service and helped to get our patients through the door.”

Eva Meszarosova, Service Manager, Spinal Service, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The Solution

MediServices was brought in to work alongside Oxford’s IONM and spinal surgery teams, providing flexible, on-demand theatre support whenever in-house capacity was stretched. This included:

Stepping in at short notice to cover scheduled and emergency cases
Providing IONM for extended surgical lists and weekend sessions
Working across both the John Radcliffe Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre to meet demand consistently

Implementation

We collaborated closely with both the neurophysiology and spinal departments to understand case mix, theatre schedules and specific monitoring requirements. Our team was able to mobilise quickly, integrate with surgical and anaesthetic teams, and ensure that patient safety remained the priority regardless of the complexity or timing of the case.

The Results

No List Cancellations: By covering short-notice and emergency cases, we helped ensure surgeries went ahead as planned.
Extended Theatre Capacity: Our weekend and extended-day coverage increased patient throughput without overburdening in-house teams.
Sustained Partnership: We have now supported Oxford’s IONM service for more than two years, providing consistent, governance-led delivery.

Conclusion

By providing rapid-response IONM cover across two hospital sites, MediServices has helped Oxford meet its high spinal surgery demand, prevent list cancellations and maintain exceptional patient safety standards. This case highlights the value of flexible, well-governed theatre partnerships in safeguarding surgical outcomes.