A £1.4 MILLION fundraising campaign has been launched to provide a high-tech “super-theatre” at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).

It is expected to “revolutionise” treatment for patients and drive down waiting lists.

People are being urged to undertake sponsored events such as skydives, abseiling, marathons and bake sales to raise money so building can begin on the £6.5 million project in 2026.

The NHS has provided capital funds but the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity (RDHC) is fundraising for enhanced operating equipment.

The new operating theatre will provide specialist surgery for patients with aneurysms, blood clots and diseases of the arteries.

Diabetic patients and people suffering kidney failure will be among those treated in the new theatre.

An additional theatre at the RD&E will mean around 1,200 extra patients a year can be treated, reducing waiting times.

Hannah Travers, consultant vascular surgeon, said presently there are vascular patients who had to be transferred from Exeter to either Torbay, Taunton or Bristol for treatment.

“That is not ideal for patients and that means they have a longer recovery time and longer length of stay in hospital,” said Ms Travers.

“Having a super-theatre will enable us to have all those procedures in one place at one time, so it combines the imaging technique as well as the open theatre capacity all in one space.

“It will enable us to deliver those world-class treatments to the patients here in Devon.”

Sam Higginson, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, said: “We made significant progress in reducing our waiting lists last year, but we still have a mountain to climb to get to where we want to be for our patients.”

He said the new theatre would free up space in the RD&E’s existing 10 theatres. Money from the government is secured and the charity is providing the extra money to make to the theatre “leading-edge” in delivering care.

“We have a campaign over the next 12 months because we are really keen to get the building works done and completed and the patients treated as quickly as possible, so my message to everyone is please get involved. It would be fantastic to get all the community helping us.”

Tom Darby-Clark from the charity, which fundraises for the RD&E and North Devon District Hospital, said no idea is too big or small.

“It’s hugely important, this project is going to change the lives of so many patients, their outcomes and for the families that support them.

“The public have been brilliant in previous fundraising appeals. In the north of the county they have raised millions for the Seamoor chemotherapy unit and the Fern cancer at North Devon District Hospital and wellbeing centre, and we are really keen to replicate that in the east in Exeter and draw us together as a community.”

You can find out more about the appeal at: royaldevoncharity.org.uk/super-theatre-appeal.

Alison Stephenson