SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has welcomed the opening of a new prehabilitation unit to help cancer patients prepare for major cancer surgery.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Health Minister, said: “I am delighted to see this new unit opening at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital as I am sure it will be of great benefit to many patients and help them prepare for their major operation.
“It is a great initiative and one I would like to see replicated across all our major hospitals in North Wales.
“It is vitally important that patients are ready and prepared for surgery and anything which also aids recovery and for them to spend less time in hospital is most welcome and should be supported.”
The new unit will help ensure patients are fit enough to have their big operation which will also help reduce the risk of complications, improve their recovery and help patients go home earlier following the surgery.
A team of health care professionals including anaesthetists, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, occupational therapists and respiratory physiologists are all involved in designing and supervising a bespoke programme for each patient.
In 2019, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board held a pilot prehabilitation programme which followed 50 patients preparing for major cancer surgery in Wrexham.
The pilot found that these patients on average were able to be discharged home two days sooner and had half the number of complication rates following surgery compared to patients not attending prehabilitation. Patients were also more likely to maintain their new healthier lifestyle after surgery improving their long-term health.
Consultant Anaesthetist, Dr Neil Agnew, said: “The pilot was a success with patients of all ages really enjoying the sessions. Patients felt fully prepared mentally and physically.
“Due to the pandemic we were unable to continue with the supervised face to face sessions. Instead, we had to rely on telephone support which was not as effective.
“We were then able to restart the service on a small scale using the gym in Wrexham University as a temporary facility whilst developing our own bigger unit.
“We’re delighted to have opened our new Prehabilitation Unit which will be just for our patients. Helping patients get as fit as they can before surgery will make them stronger and feel more prepared.
“They will be less likely to suffer complications resulting in a quicker recovery. Also, with the new extra space it’s now possible to help a wider range of patients prepare for surgery.”
Patients listed for major surgery will be invited three times a week to the prehabilitation unit, based in Wrexham Industrial Estate. Their fitness programme starts a few weeks before their operation and includes a mix of regular supervised exercises, respiratory muscle training and improvements in diet and psychology sessions.
