Patients offered yoga, tai chi and boxing ‘prehab’ classes in effort to slash cancer re-admission rates by half
- Readmission to hospital after cancer surgery costs the NHS £1.7 billion a year
- NHS chiefs hope cutting the rate can help reduce the record waiting list of 7.7 million people
Cancer patients who take yoga, tai chi and boxing classes before undergoing surgery are less likely to be readmitted to hospital.
Colon cancer patients who took part in an online program known as 'prehab' – which aims to improve their physical and mental health before treatment – were 60 percent less likely to return to the hospital within 90 days with surgical complications . Those treated for urological cancer reduced that risk by 50 percent.
The personalized program, run by QuestPrehab, provides exercise, mindfulness, nutrition and lifestyle support to help patients better withstand the stress of surgery and recover faster.
Its founder, anesthetist Professor Tara Rampal, said it had improved patients' quality of life and recovery times, helped them return to work more quickly and saved the NHS money by requiring fewer ongoing GP appointments.
Patients also lost weight and one even saw their type 2 diabetes go into remission.
Hospital readmissions cost the NHS £1.6 billion a year, so it is hoped such programs can help reduce the NHS's record waiting list for surgery of 7.7 million.
Cancer patients who take yoga, tai chi and boxing classes before undergoing surgery are less likely to be readmitted to hospital
Hospital readmissions cost the NHS £1.6 billion a year, so it is hoped such programs can help reduce the NHS's record waiting list for surgery of 7.7 million people.
Annemarie Moore, 61, from Haywards Heath in Sussex, received weekly tai chi classes, mentoring and advice ahead of bowel cancer surgery in 2021. Two weeks after surgery, knowing she might have chemotherapy, she resumed tai chi classes and she started running.
Improving physical and mental health before treatment “should not be underestimated,” she said.
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The mother-of-two, who runs a YouTube channel that provides fashion advice to the over-50s, also felt able to return to filmmaking despite her thinning hair. She said: 'The guidance I received helped me find solutions to keep things going.'
Mike Hayward, from Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, completed online yoga and boxing training for two months before having bowel cancer surgery in 2021. “Someone effectively held my hand and gave clear advice,” he said.
He was then given further support before starting two months of chemotherapy. He added: 'Having regular catch-ups has really helped me develop a positive attitude and approach things with confidence.'
Prof. Rampal said: 'Our service improves (patients') clinical outcomes and quality of life… It is humbling to see the progress our patients are making during some of the most challenging times in their lives and also in our NHS. '