{"id":735158,"date":"2026-08-12T02:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T02:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/735158\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T02:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T02:18:17","slug":"exercise-programme-sees-patients-spend-less-time-in-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/735158\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise programme sees patients spend less time in hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n  Patients are spending an average of 2.1 fewer days in hospital thanks to the scheme, which is funded by Southampton Hospitals Charity and delivered by Saints Foundation.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The programme employs Jake Batchelor, a specialist exercise practitioner from Saints Foundation, who works directly with older patients in the Medicine for Older People Gym at University Hospital Southampton (UHS).\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Ellis Banfield, chief executive of Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: &#8220;These results are a powerful demonstration of what the funds we raise can achieve.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;When we first funded this role, we believed that keeping older patients active and engaged during their hospital stay would make a real difference to their recovery \u2013 and the evidence now shows just how significant that difference can be.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyecho.co.uk\/news\/26444968.world-first-trial-fridge-free-vaccine-developed-southampton\/?ref=ial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">World-first trial of fridge-free vaccine developed in Southampton<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  <img   width=\"100%\"\/>The programme employs Jake Batchelor, a specialist exercise practitioner from Saints Foundation (Image: Southampton Hospitals Charity)\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The programme aims to prevent physical and mental decline caused by long periods of inactivity in hospital, a condition known as deconditioning.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  By combining chair-based exercises, adapted exercise bikes, group mobility sessions and VR reflex games, the sessions help patients regain the strength, balance and confidence they need to return home safely.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Harnish Patel, associate professor and consultant physician for medicine for older people at UHS, said: &#8220;What really stands out is the impact Jake has as an individual.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;He is universally loved by patients and staff alike, and the trust and warmth he brings to every session is a huge part of why the programme works.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;For many of our patients, coming into the gym is about much more than exercise.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;It gives them confidence, lifts their mood and helps them feel more like themselves again.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyecho.co.uk\/news\/26443015.southampton-share-156m-boost-new-mental-health-emergency-department\/?ref=ial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Southampton to share in \u00a3156m boost for new mental health emergency department<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Mr Batchelor said: &#8220;Every day I see patients come into the gym feeling uncertain about what they can still do, and leave feeling stronger, more confident and more like themselves.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;Whether it&#8217;s getting back on a bike, trying VR for the first time or just moving and laughing with other patients, those moments matter enormously.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The results position the programme as a model for how targeted investment in patient wellbeing can deliver substantial returns for both individuals and the healthcare system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Patients are spending an average of 2.1 fewer days in hospital thanks to the scheme, which is funded&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":735159,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,2960,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-735158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=735158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/735159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=735158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=735158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=735158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}