SENIOR surgeons in Hampshire are spearheading a major shake-up of care for vascular patients.

Clinicians and managers are uniting to create a blueprint for future vascular services to ensure the service can support radical plans for a seven-days-a-week NHS.

It comes in the wake of a clinical review ruling that major changes are needed to meet the rising demand for specialist staff if the system runs from Monday to Sunday.

The Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland wants to ensure there are safe, high quality services for patients in this system a seven day a week NHS.

The branch of surgery involves managing diseases of the vascular system, or arteries and veins by medical therapy, minimally invasive catheter procedures and surgical reconstruction.

It evolved from general and cardiac surgery and minimally invasive techniques pioneered by interventional radiology.

Smoking is a major cause of vascular disease and over 80 per cent of vascular patients are a current or ex-smoker.

Improvements in technology mean fewer patients need to undergo major vascular surgical operations and can be treated with less invasive surgery and preventative surgery which reduces the risk of stroke.

But these use highly specialised techniques requiring specially qualified surgeons who are limited in numbers and operating seven days a week will increase pressure on having enough qualified staff to cover rotas.

The shake-up comes after a review at Southampton General Hospital and Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth showed work is needed at both hospitals to maintain high quality and sustainable services in the future.

They recommend creating a southern Hampshire network of vascular services at the Southampton hospital operating as the single hub for the county and Isle of Wight.

NHS England medical director for Wessex, Dr Liz Mearns, said: “We want to end the uncertainty for patients and for staff, and have asked surgeons and senior managers to work together to develop detailed options for the future of vascular services across south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight based on the recommendations of the review.”

She added: “The detail of these options needs to be developed by surgeons working together and we will then be in a position to consult in a meaningful way with patients and the public about how any proposed changes will impact on them.”