Get patients moving and get them home quicker

A NEW campaign aims to change patients’ perceptions of illness in a bid to boost recovery times.

The idea, which has been trialled on four wards already at Leicester’s Hospitals, is to get people up and about more quickly, encouraging them to change their mindset from “I’m sick” to “I’m getting better”.

After success on the renal, respiratory and cardiovascular wards at Glenfield Hospital and the specialist medicine ward at the Royal Infirmary, plans are in place to roll out the initiative to all wards at all sites.

A spokesman said: “The hashtag #endPJparalysis was originated on Twitter by Professor Brian Dolan in

2016. The concept encourages patients to get up, dressed and moving while in hospital.

“The idea is to make changes to patients’ perceptions of ”I‘m sick” to ”I‘m getting better”, while preventing complications of being immobile such as muscle degeneration, clotting and chest infections.”

To help reinforce the change of attitude, family and friends are being asked to take a more active role by bringing in daywear, underwear, socks and comfortable shoes; providing glasses, hearing aids or any other items patients would usual- ly have at home and toiletries to assist in washing, as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste.

When appropriate staff will be happy to let visitors assist patients with such tasks as eating, dressing and walking.

The spokesman added: “We are aiming to facilitate a change in culture across our hospitals, by supporting ward teams - matrons and ward sisters - to encourage their patients to get out of bed each day in order to help aid their recovery.

“By working together we can help our patients’ experience at our hospitals and also help them to get home earlier.”