The Active Wait programme was a collaborative project developed by the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University alongside the Musculoskeletal Care Group at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The 18-month project aimed to improve physical activity, nutrition and quality of life for people waiting for surgery in Sheffield.
More than 650 patients are waiting for elective hip and knee surgery in Sheffield, with an average wait of 228 days. Without support during that period, patients’ physical and mental health often deteriorates leading to poorer surgical and health outcomes.
Impacts on patients due to current increased waiting times includes greater periods of time in pain, anxiety and frustration due to lengthy waits, and worsening quality of life due to restricted function during this period.
As part of the project, a 12-week online programme was designed to provide patients with the knowledge, skills, confidence and support to manage their health and prepare for surgery. The project also tested the additional benefit of having 1-1 sessions with a health coach.
A survey was conducted with patients on waiting lists for surgery before and again after taking part in the Active Wait programme.
A total of 47 patients who took part in the programme and responded to both surveys reported an increase in active minutes per week and a reduced sitting time of more than an hour each day.
Results from the follow up questionnaires also show that over the three-month period the patients did not perceive their condition to have worsened. One patient said that it gave them the confidence to undertake the exercise plan even though they were in pain and would have previously avoided such movements.
Another said they did the exercises at home in the morning and enjoyed them and found them helpful.
Programme co-lead Rachel Young, Senior Research Fellow at the AWRC, said: “Active Wait has developed our understanding of the challenges associated with waiting for hip or knee replacement surgery. The digital and health coaching programmes which were delivered within the project supported patients to manage their pain symptoms and engage in activity or exercise. The digital resource is still available and we plan to further develop this programme through future projects.”
It is hoped the resources will be shared nationally as well as being developed for patients with other conditions with long waiting lists.
