Patient-centred care has been a key focus for health professionals for the last decade, and for good reason. Involving patients throughout their pathway has consistently shown to improve outcomes and enhance their overall experience. However, turning the ideal of ‘patient-centred care’ into a reality is often easier said than done.
Despite the challenges, there are programmes making strides towards achieving this. One example is Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital, where the team has developed a gold-standard spinal patient pathway.
And the key to this pathway? A combination of leading surgical technology, bringing patients closer to their multidisciplinary team, and, surprisingly, sending patients back to school.
Spinal surgery is a highly specialised area of healthcare. At Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital, patients benefit from some of the most advanced spinal surgical equipment in the UK, including robot assisted navigation, which is used in about a third of all procedures.
Notably, Wessex Hospital was only the second hospital in the country, and the first outside London, to have access to this advanced technology. However, this is only part of the equation.
Wrap-around support is equally as important, and the nursing team at Wessex have been central to developing a new approach – all based on best practice guidelines, from the likes of Getting It Right First Time, the British Association of Spine Surgeons, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the United Kingdom Spine Societies Board and NHS England.
Introducing ‘Spine School’
Spinal surgery is a complex procedure, and patients often arrive with little understanding of the challenges they will face during the recovery process. To address this the nursing team introduced the concept of ‘Spine School’, which prepares patients and their families for the realities of their surgery.
“Introducing Spine School is crucial not only for setting realistic expectations for surgery but also for ensuring that patients have the necessary social support in place before they undergo the procedure,” explains Theresa Carey, spinal lead nurse at Wessex Hospital.
These in-person sessions are available to all patients on the spinal pathway, including NHS patients. They provide education on everything from preparing for surgery, including the role of eating well, exercise and the importance of relaxation, through to preparing for discharge, and ensuring the best possible recovery. “This is an evidence-based approach that helps reduce the actual impact of the procedure, to accelerate post-operative recovery and reduce complications,” says Ms Carey.
However, Spine School also serves another vital purpose: it builds relationships. Patients meet the multidisciplinary team members who will guide them through their surgery and recovery, including nurses, and physiotherapists. “It’s a chance to build trust with the team that will be there for the whole of their treatment journey,” Ms Carey explains. “By the time patients encounter us on the ward, as part of the team delivering care, they’ve already met us and started to build that trust and rapport. I can’t stress how valuable this is.”
Onward rehabilitation
Once surgery is complete, the patient’s journey is far from over. As part of their rehabilitation, patients continue to receive follow-up physiotherapy sessions and hydrotherapy to aid their recovery. However, the team at Wessex Hospital goes a step further, working alongside upskilled personal trainers to offer enhanced rehabilitation.
Their personal trainer will create a bespoke exercise programme, tailored to the individual patient’s needs. This comprehensive aftercare programme, which continues for three months after discharge, helps patients to maintain momentum in their recovery, and build overall health.
Ms Carey, a nursing leader with more than 35 years of experience, reflects on the patient-centred nature of this pathway: “This pathway has allowed me to develop those closer relationships with patients that remind me of the type of support we provided at the start of my career. From the moment they first come to us, through to their enhanced rehabilitation, we’re there every step of the way. We’re delivering personalised nursing, the type of bespoke nursing care I’d want my own family to receive.”
A growing area of expertise
While this is a niche treatment area, there is clear demand for complex spinal care. According to Thelma Henderson, health system director at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital, the hospital’s innovative approach to spinal surgery has positioned it as a leader in the UK.
“Spinal surgery was always something we did well, but by implementing the right wrap-around support, we saw an opportunity to become a leader in the field. And that’s exactly what’s happened – we’ve moved from mainly serving the local area to now seeing patients from across the UK and even internationally. Our reputation for excellence is growing rapidly.”
The spinal patient pathway at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital demonstrates what’s possible when cutting-edge technology is combined with thoughtful, patient-centred care. The pathway brings patients closer to the multidisciplinary team that supports them, and by sending patients to ‘Spine School’ and providing continued rehabilitation support, the hospital has created a holistic care model that extends far beyond the operating room. In doing so, they are leading the way in demonstrating how personalised nursing can have a powerful place in modern healthcare.
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