The Active Sussex Reconditioning Pilot, funded in partnership with Active Sussex, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Active Rother, East Sussex Public Health, and 20/20 Health, has been celebrated as a resounding success.
Over 26 weeks, health instructors delivered 54 sessions, giving patients nine extra hours of exercise during their stay.
The results include a 50 per cent improvement in balance and a 34 per cent increase in sit-to-stand ability. Patients also reported improved mental well-being, confidence, and social connections.
Karen Poole, AHP Rehabilitation Consultant for East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and Strategic Clinical Lead for Rehabilitation & Reablement at NHS Sussex, said: “This exciting collaboration between the NHS and a local community health instructor provider has had a number of positive impacts.
“This pilot has also tested how we can work with non-NHS partners in traditional NHS environments, paving the way for greater confidence in this approach. The Active Sussex Reconditioning Pilot serves as an exemplar of what we can achieve when we work together.”
Patients shared heartfelt stories of recovery, with one saying: “I’ve been able to walk further and longer since coming to the groups and would love to attend other sessions once I get home.”
Dependent on funding, phase two aims to live-stream sessions to hospitals across East Sussex, with aspirations for broader adoption across Sussex.
Ross Joannides of Active Sussex said: “Bringing health instructors into the hospital setting where they can work with NHS staff to address the issue of deconditioning and then transition patients into community-based activity is a significant step forward for the way Active Sussex wants to support the health system at a local level.”
The programme’s success underscores the power of collaboration, innovation, and movement to transform hospital care and inspire lasting health changes.
