Pilot study looks at ways to reduce falls risk for patients

The three-month study ‘Supporting Health Through Movement’ took place on Ward 27 at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, a charity which is part of the Active Partnerships Network and works with others to support people to have an active lifestyle, conducted the ‘reconditioning pilot’ with support from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

The pilot focused on improving patient mobility, preventing deconditioning, reducing the risk of falls and supporting a smoother transition from hospital to community care, through education and targeted exercise.

Hospital Associated Deconditioning (HAD) can happen when patients are inactive and stay in bed all day, leading to a decline in mobility. Ten days in a hospital bed is the equivalent of 10 years of ageing in muscles of people aged 80 and over.

Staying as active as possible whilst patients get better from illness or injury in hospital can reduce recovery time and length of stay in hospital.

Collaborating closely with hospital and community teams, Energize provided Christina Morgan, Live Longer Better Manager, and another specialist exercise instructor Iain Howard to work alongside Lynette Williams, Movement Matters/Reconditioning Lead at SaTH, and Clare Walsgrove, Quality Matron, to build on the work already under way at the Trust.

Tailored sessions which focused on HAD and highlighted the importance of encouraging movement during hospital stays were delivered online and in-person to ward staff, including nurses, sisters, healthcare assistants, and clerks.

Christina said: “It was quite a challenging pilot but provided a unique and beneficial learning experience for all involved.

“The initiative was received well on the ward by staff and patients. There is a desire by hospital staff to support patients to move more and be more active during their hospital stay, but there are multiple barriers which can prevent this happening.

“The pilot looked at implementing realistic and achievable actions that could be put in place on the ward, whilst encouraging conversations with both staff and patients. We provided bed, chair and standing exercises and patients were also provided with hand putty to strengthen their dexterity along with resistance bands to promote strength.”

Clare said: “We are doing a lot of work to improve the mobility of patients whilst they are in hospital to support their recovery, and it was beneficial to work alongside the Energize team, looking at how our patients can be encouraged to move more and further educate all our colleagues on how they can play their part.”

Paula Gardner, Interim Chief Nursing Officer, said: “We all know how important it is for patients to stay as active as possible as it helps with their recovery and when they go home or into the community if they learn from what they have been shown in hospital it means they are less likely to be readmitted.

“Thank you to all those who took part and conducted the study. With all the information and data gained, it will help our patients during their stay in hospital and when they are back out in the community.”

Energize will be sharing the results with SaTH and making recommendations.