A £1.4m charity appeal has been launched to fund the cost of high-tech equipment for a ‘Super Theatre’ being built at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).

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

An additional theatre at RD&E will mean the hospital will be able to treat around 1,200 extra patients a year, reducing waiting times for everyone, including cancer and urgent surgery patients.

The NHS has contributed £5.1m of national funds to build the theatre and Royal Devon Hospitals Charity (RDHC) is fundraising the money needed for the enhanced operating equipment.

Hannah Travers, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, said: “This new high-tech ‘super theatre’ will mean we can offer the most modern and advanced surgical techniques to our patients at the RD&E and across the South Devon and Exeter Vascular network, as well as attract and retain the best surgical staff.

“For patients it will mean fewer procedures, reduced risk of complications, faster recovery times after surgery, and less time in hospital. It will be a game-changer and help us deliver the kind of modern care that we want to give to our patients.”

The NHS is facing significant challenges with waiting times and once the new theatre is up and running, it will free up space in the RD&E’s existing 10 theatres.

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.

“We have prioritised funding towards building a new operating theatre to ensure thousands of our patients can get their operations more quickly.

“This appeal will help us make the best of the new space and make it a truly ‘super theatre’ by putting in the latest technology that goes beyond what the NHS is funded to provide.”

If you’d like to make a donation to the Super Theatre Appeal, or find out more about how you can support the appeal, visit www.royaldevoncharity.org.uk/super-theatre-appeal