Health Column: Dan Leverett - Unit Leader on Frailty SDEC

This team works closely with Community Services, Primary Care, Ambulance Service and the Trust’s Emergency Department (A&E) to identify patients who need a comprehensive geriatric assessment and determine the best way to treat their conditions or injuries. In having these discussions between teams, patients can avoid being admitted to hospital and return to their home environment safely with any additional support or follow-up care they require.

Over the next calendar year, the Trust is aiming to reduce each patient’s time on the unit to 72 hours. From admission to discharge, the Frailty SDEC unit’s goal is to work to this objective, once patients present at A&E, to finalise or provide the most suitable treatment or therapy within this time frame. This can help to reduce the risk of deconditioning as the less time a patient stays in hospital, the less negative impact it will have on overall health and wellbeing.

From research into other frailty units across the UK and our insight and learning from our Community Service’s Jean Heyes Reablement Unit at Leigh Infirmary, we recognised that to help our patients and for the unit to achieve this goal, we would require additional funding and back in April, we were able to raise £569 to help us to train three staff members in chair-based exercise qualifications to support with rehabilitation and enhancement work.

Additionally, thanks to a partnership with Wigan & Leigh College we have been able to welcome students onto the unit to pilot engagement activities with beauty students from the college attending the unit to offer patients upper body massages for relaxation. Should this prove to be successful further sessions will be able to take place which will include hairdressing, beauty, art and design, crafts, photography and sport. The opportunity for local students to come into a hospital environment and work with our patients is an excellent way to learn important life skills such as communication and caring for others. This is a significant step in enhancing patient’s experience as well as promoting reconditioning and providing essential learning opportunities for Wigan and Leigh students.

Families and loved ones can also play their part in helping our patients journey by bringing in own clothes to support end PJ paralysis. By encouraging our patients to take part in wellbeing activities, get dressed and move around, we’re reducing immobility, muscle deconditioning, and dependency while protecting cognitive function, social interaction, and dignity. Families are also welcome to join in our engagement activities and events with patients and we would encourage visiting during our new open visiting hours of 12pm-8pm. Equally, one family member is welcome to remain with their loved one during mealtimes while they are with us as having a familiar face can help to provide reassurance to our patients during their stay.

The wellbeing of our patients is at the forefront of our care and any help we can provide to enhance the patient experience whilst being in hospital, is well worth it.