Supporting patients waiting for hospital treatment

Many patients are going to wait longer for their surgery now.

Although hospitals are working very hard to work quickly through the waitings lists, some delay is inevitable. Therefore, there is an opportunity in this pause to ask, what can you do to improve your wellness - and if or when you come to have an operation, you can be assured that you are set for a good outcome.

Some patients are motivated by the fact that - with substantial improvements in health and risk factors, some surgical 'problems', such as an arthritic hip, or a grumbling gall bladder, seem miraculously to resolve. Any surgeon will tell you the only failsafe way to avoid complications is to avoid an operation!

 

This website includes:

  • How to stay as fit and healthy as possible while you wait for your treatment
  • Where to find any extra support online
  • Where to find further information about approximate waiting times at different hospitals
  • What to do if your condition deteriorates

We will provide updates to ensure the latest information is available, so please do check back on a regular basis.

Man talking to doctor in surgery

 

Download the Lancashire and South Cumbria Patient Charter here: Are you set for surgery?

Of more than 1,000 patients surveyed, around one quarter of those undergoing surgery considered themselves unfit; over one third took no regular exercise. 

None of us would run a race without preparing ourselves. Having an operation puts considerable strains on your body, it's a big physical challenge. The more you train, the better race you will run. Surgery is little different.

Patients who are fit are known to recover faster, with less complications, short time in hospital, and fewer re-referrals with similar problems in the future.

Below are the 'risk factors' which are spoken about in Prehab programmes - all the things that can be improved, to help surgial outcomes.

What's more - even if you consider yourself physically fit and well - a little training can make you even better. There are still gains.

If you have chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure - now is the time for us to help you make sure they are well controlled.

Use this time to consider what you think you can improve in terms of health and wellbeing.

Could you move a bit more? Eat more healthily? Stop smoking? Lose weight? Something else?

Please have a look through Local Resources for places to find support closer to home. 

This depends on your own circumstances, whether you are already referred to meet the specialist, or whether you are trying out this approach with the aim of health improvement, and maybe avoid an operation all together.

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