Sherwood Forest Hospitals partners with local leisure centre to help patients get fit before operation
Posted Thursday, May 2, 2019 2:14 PM
Sherwood Forest Hospitals is working in partnership with Mansfield District Leisure Trust to give patients who are going into hospital for a planned operation the best chance of success by getting fit and healthy first.
The new innovative scheme is set to improve the health and fitness of patients who are undergoing planned surgery by giving them the opportunity to be referred to Mansfield District Leisure Trust’s Healthy Life Programme. Research has shown that patients who are fit and healthy often have better surgical outcomes.
Led by Consultant Anaesthetist at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Dr Rebecca Barker, and Sister Kelly Crutchely, who is part of the Pre-operative Assessment Team, any patient who is booked in to have an operation can ask to be referred to the programme, but there will be a particular focus on elderly patients.
Dr Barker said: “When patients are coming into hospital for surgery, it’s really important that they are as fit and healthy as they can be in order to have the best possible outcome from their surgery. We want to help our patients get the best results possible and help them to help themselves so we’ve partnered with Mansfield District Leisure Trust to offer this beneficial programme. Getting fit just six weeks before an operation has been shown to reduce the likelihood of complications during and after surgery.
“We’re really keen to promote this new initiative to as many patients as possible waiting to undergo surgery. A patient’s commitment to recover, even before going into surgery, plays a large factor in their recovery. The fitter you are going into surgery, the quicker and easier recovery will be and the quicker patients can be back in their own homes recovering.”
Geoff Waller, Chair of Mansfield District Leisure Trust, added: “We are delighted to partner up with Sherwood Forest Hospitals on this important scheme. Helping local people be better prepared physically for upcoming operations is vital work, and something we are extremely proud to be involved in.
“Healthy Life has been a real success story for the Trust in Mansfield, and our dedicated fitness teams have helped hundreds of local people get and stay healthy, improving their quality of life.”
The programme gives patients access to four Mansfield Leisure Centres including specialised support, gym, swim and classes at a reduced price for up to six months.
