Moving Medicine Launches Resource for Health Professionals to 'Prescribe' Movement for Perioperative Care

MovingMedicine

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK have launched 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.

Our CPOC Rapid Research Review 'Impact of perioperative care on healthcare resource use'  highlights that "different interventions, including prehabilitation, exercise and smoking cessation can significantly reduce complications by 30% to 80%." This is prevalent now more than ever in the context of the NHS surgical backlog. Waiting lists should be seen as 'preparation lists.'

The important resource includes step-by-step guides to help health professionals have good quality conversations about physical activity. These are separated into the 'The 1 minute conversation', 'The 5 minute conversation' and 'The more minute conversation.' 

CPOC Deputy Director, Scarlett McNally was involved in this work and said: 

"It was a pleasure to represent the Royal College of Surgeons of England on this work that will have great benefits for patients. Doing exercise before an operation is highly effective at reducing complications and at getting the best out of surgery. This new website gives tips for patients and for surgical teams about how to do this. It is about using ‘the teachable moment’ and also treating the waiting list as a preparation list.” 

View the full resource here