The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK has announced the launch of a new resource, which forms part of the existing Moving Medicine online resources. Prescribing Movement for Perioperative care supports healthcare professionals to have conversations with patients who have just had, or are waiting for surgery, to encourage them to be active.
We know that around ten million people have surgery with the NHS in the UK each year and complications from surgery are four times higher in people who are physically inactive. Healthcare professionals can play a leading role in supporting patients to move more, and the award winning consultation guides are built in 1, 5 and more minute options, to enable busy healthcare professionals to choose which is most relevant for them, and helps to provide clear and consistent messaging about the benefits of physical activity for people who have had or are waiting for surgery.
There are many benefits to being physically active for people who need surgery, including reducing post-operative complications and length of hospital stay and the Moving Medicine team have worked with clinicians, experts, academics, charities and expert patients to build an evidence based, perioperative specific resource for healthcare professionals. This free online resource is built in an award winning behavioural change framework and supports the healthcare professional to have these conversations.