Worksop hospital wins top award for helping patients' mobility and recovery

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) has announced its Gold Award success in the NHS England Reconditioning Games, for its latest initiative – the ‘Get Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving’ project.

Led by therapy assistant practitioner in falls Jo McQuade, in collaboration with the trust’s quality improvement team, the initiative aimed to address the pressing challenge of hospital-acquired deconditioning and its impact on patient safety by supporting patients to become more active during their hospital stay.

Hospital deconditioning can occur among patients after relatively short periods of hospitalisation due to extended periods of inactivity and bedrest.

Posing a risk to a patient’s healthy recovery, it can often lead to problems such as diminished muscle mass and strength.

During the project, which was launched on ward 17, colleagues focused on ensuring all patients were up out of bed, dressed and encouraged to walk around. Mobility goals were also displayed above bed areas, while individuals were provided with a walking aid if required.

Patients were also encouraged to visit the toilet rather than relying on a commode, and staff members actively initiated discussions about the benefits of getting out of bed.

The results of this project were overwhelmingly positive for the ward, accomplishing a decline in physiotherapy referrals and leaving a team feeling knowledgeable and empowered to combat the risks of deconditioning.

Owing to the success of the project, the team at DBTH have achieved Gold in NHS England’s Reconditioning Games – a national programme which aims to encourage hospital trusts to raise awareness of and tackle the issues around deconditioning.

Earlier last month, representatives from the Emergency Care Improvement Support Team from NHS England visited ward 17 to congratulate the team and present them with their certificate.

Jo McQuade, driving force behind the project, said: “The success of the project really highlights the power of teamwork and a shared commitment to patient wellbeing we have at DBTH.

“I would like to extend a massive congratulations to the whole team for their hard work in making it a success. I hope we can deliver this initiative wider within the trust, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it has for our patients.”