Patients fly the flag for wellbeing activities during St Patrick’s Day

Patients at Leighton Hospital celebrated St Patrick’s Day with games and activities as part of a drive to keep them active during their care.

The event was staged during a five-month Deconditioning Mid Cheshire Championships, aimed at supporting patients’ physical and mental wellbeing.

Being in hospital often means that people spend more time lying down in bed and not moving around.

This can make muscles weak and impact mental wellbeing - known in the health service as ‘deconditioning’ - which can lead to longer stays in hospital and an increased risk of further health complications.

Leighton Hospital’s rehabilitation ward, 21b, staged the St Patrick’s Day celebration on Monday, as part of the drive to combat deconditioning.

Their event included balloon games, craft activities, and a group of local Irish dancers who came in to perform for the patients.

Emily Garnett, Ward Manager, said:

“We thought it would be a great opportunity to have some fun, provide patients with a break from their normal day, and get them to be as active as possible. It brought smiles to everyone who took part, which is always lovely to see.

“We’ve done similar activities linked to other cultural events and they’re always popular with everyone. It’s something very different and it can really help with our patients’ progress during their recovery.”

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust launched the Deconditioning Mid Cheshire Championships in November and activities will run until April.

Eight wards at Leighton Hospital in Crewe and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford are taking part.

Each ward is being supported by a Trust senior leader, who visits and participates in the events with patients.

On Monday, the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer, Nicola Costin-Davis, visited Ward 21b for the celebration.

Ward 14 at Leighton Hospital also held their own events to mark the occasion.

During the past five months, other Deconditioning Mid Cheshire Championships activities across the wards have included:

•           Valentine’s Day crafts

•           Chinese New Year celebrations

•           Armchair aerobics

•           Bingo

•           Board games

•           Festive activities

•           And a penalty shootout

Eryl Summers, Clinical Quality and Outcomes Matron, said:

“As an in-patient, inactivity can have many different effects including reduced muscle strength and losing the ability to perform daily activities.

“Staying active both physically and mentally helps patients to stay well in hospital and can often reduce the length of their stay, so it’s great to see so many patients enjoying these activities.

“These sorts of events are also fantastic because they bring people together in a communal space. This encourages patients to interact with each other and helps us to support a sense of community that can be really beneficial.”

Pictured - Staff at the event on Ward 21b.