ALTS

The Association of Laparoscopic Theatre Staff

COUNCIL of ALTS

• Chair: Jane Hendricks
  Contact: j.hendricks@ntlworld.com
• Deputy Chair: Alice Jones
  Contact: bob2al1@aol.com

The Association was formed in November 2001 with the following aims and objectives:

• To promote networking and support systems between centres.
• To disseminate knowledge of new techniques and innovations
• To encourage multi-disciplinary working and learning
• To develop an open forum that actively encourages participation from all grades of theatre staff involved in laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is undergoing rapid advancement, and techniques are becoming more complicated & challenging. Never has it been more important for the multi-disciplinary team to work together to achieve optimum patient care. We believe that to do so effectively, it is essential for the team to be educated together. To further this aim, ALTS has two conferences a year held in conjunction with ALS. The programme includes separate sessions for surgeons and for theatre staff, thus enabling members to choose talks appropriate to their area of interest and level of expertise.

Help us to help each other

ALTS will only be successful if practitioners support the association annual membership is only £20 a year and this allows you to have reduced rates to attend the ALS day at ASGBI and the autumn meeting which is two days long. The rates are extremely reasonable for ALTS members and this is because council is very keen and committed to attracting all members of the surgical team.

The chairperson of ALTS has a place on council and this allows the association a voice and an opportunity to ensure ALTS members can have input into the conference management and content.

The meetings are an excellent opportunity to learn new techniques, acquire new knowledge and network with your peers. It also offers a fantastic opportunity for joint learning of the surgical team.

Introduction to Jane Hendricks

Jane P Bradley Hendricks RGN, BSc (Hons), MSC, Independent Nurse Prescriber.

Jane is a Laparoscopic Nurse Practitioner with a specialist interest in laparoscopic colorectal surgery at Colchester General Hospital Essex. She was one of the first participants on the ENB N77 (nurse as first assistant to the surgeon) in Greenwich in 1998.

She developed the role at her hospital and commenced the role full time in 2002. She was the first surgical care practitioner at her hospital and since then the role has been rolled out to other specialities. She is also the acute surgical wound management advisor and works alongside the tissue viability team. She was the clinical lead on the implementation of an enhanced recovery programme for laparoscopic colorectal patients. She was also the clinical lead on the implementation of a day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy service.

She is the National Treasurer of the national Association of Assistants in Surgical Practice (NAASP). She sits on the speciality advisory board for professions allied to surgery at the Scottish colleges. She lectures on an associate lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and Essex University. She presents at a number of conferences during the course of the year.