Brian Turley Awards for Patient and Carer Involvement
Collaboration for Leadership and Applied Health Research and Care Programmes in London
Based at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, the PREPARE team, is a programme for patients undergoing oesophago-gastric surgery that aims to improve their surgical outcomes by improving their physical and mental well-being prior to and after their surgery. Each patient receives a personalised programme to match their individual needs, abilities and goals.
The programme provides coaching and tailored support in the areas of:
- Physical fitness
- Respiratory exercises
- Eating well
- Psychological wellbeing
- Asking about medications
- Removing bad habits
- Enhancing recovery
Patients are involved at a strategic level in the development of the PREPARE programme, working with the clinical team to co-design the structure and goals through formal workshops and informal interactions.
An example of meaningful outcomes from patient involvement include the creation of a training clinic 1-2 weeks prior to surgery to teach patients and their carers on home jejunostomy feeds. This replaced post-surgery in-hospital training which patients described as too intimidating and did not involve carers. Patients’ views have also contributed plans to develop a PREPARE centre where the whole programme can be delivered and patients can benefit from peer-to-peer support.
On announcing the award winners the judges said: “This is a superb example of integrated, meaningful, well planned patient involvement which is central to the project. While PPI is often an added afterthought to projects, collaboration with patients is at the heart of PREPARE”
