PHYSIOTHERAPY patients are being offered treatment in gyms and leisure centres in an innovative pilot which aims to make care more convenient by bringing it closer to home.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ has partnered with ukactive to improve access to musculoskeletal rehabilitation and therapy services in the community.
Around half of the team’s referrals are for patients suffering from lower back pain, for which regular exercise is key to recovery. The majority of other patients need to improve their fitness and muscle strength due to underlying conditions such as injuries, arthritis or fibromyalgia.
Across the 18-month pilot, around 25,000 patients are expected to benefit. The project combines the expertise of the Trust’s specialist staff with high-quality gym equipment at Castle Leisure Centre in Elephant and Castle, and Brixton Recreation Centre and Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre.
Patients are able to benefit from more space and a much wider range of equipment than at the hospital gym sites. These include mats, benches, steppers and cross trainers that can better support specific rehabilitation as well as general fitness, confidence and mental well-being.
The initiative also lowers transport costs for patients and reduces travel time to and from appointments as they tend to be closer to their home or work.
This helps make it easier to attend appointments and reduces health inequalities, with early data showing that the pilot has reduced ‘no shows’ by around six per cent. As an added bonus, patients are able to use the wider gym facilities –including pool, sauna and steam room facilities – for free on the days that they are attending physio services.
It is hoped that by accessing treatment in a local gym, patients will gain confidence in using equipment and possibly take up a membership – making them more likely to exercise regularly. Patients are able to access discounted gym memberships once their treatment finishes.