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Prehabilitation service reduced stay in hospital, say first patients
In June Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust held a launch event for its Prehabilitation gym, with special guests Keith Wells and Jayd Davies, the first two patients to go through the service.
The new NUH Prehab Service helps people with cancer get ready for their surgery by promoting exercise and physical activity, nutrition and psychological interventions. The Prehab Team at NUH will work alongside community exercise provider, ABL (A Better Life) and Self Help UK to help patients access support in their local communities, ensuring a holistic and personalised Prehab Programme is provided.
It is hoped that the outcomes for patients undergoing prehab will include:
- Fewer post treatment complications
- Enhanced recovery following treatment
- Reduced length of stays
- Improved cardiorespiratory fitness
- Better neuro-cognitive functions
- Enriched quality of life.
Keith Wells was diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2022. Commenting on his experience of Perhabilitation he said “I got a cancer diagnosis and was invited to join the prehab service. My view was anything that helps I was interested in. I came along, did a base line assessment and was given a programme for the next 5-6 weeks which I found very useful as it just gave you something to focus on. It was particularly helpful with the mental side of things. You get a cancer diagnosis and you hear the word and it has all sorts of bad connotations. The programme took me up to my admission date and I was even doing exercises at home. In the gym there was equipment like the bikes that I could tangibly measure and improve on. My hospital stay period here was reduced by what I was doing and just the value of that has to be something good. Absolutely positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone.”
Jayd Davies was likewise told he had bowel cancer in May this year. His experiences of Perhabilitation were much the same, saying “I remember when I got the diagnosis for cancer, it is the worst thing I have ever experienced. I did not volunteer or sign up for this someone just came along because the Doctor said “why don’t you go do a bit of prehab?” I am glad they did that because it gave me a real sense of purpose and something to do. It was the one thing I really felt like I had control of between my diagnosis and actually going in for surgery. I cannot overemphasis how much of a difference that made for me. I was only in hospital for 48 hours and that was down to the Prehabilitation Team, Daryl, Ayleen and Catherine who looked after me. They were fantastic and so responsive and I am very grateful for that. I hope it is a great success and I am happy to refer this to anyone and articulate the benefits of Prehabilitation.”
Patients due to undergo certain cancer surgeries have started being referred by their cancer nurse specialist (CNS) this week and it is expected the service will support 10-12 new patients a week. The NUH Prehab Gym is based at the St Francis Unit, Nottingham City Hospital, NG5 1PB and people can get updated from the team by following them on twitter (@NUHPrehab).