Mental health patients are being given more opportunities to stay active, improve their wellbeing and maintain friendships after leaving long-term hospital care, thanks to charity funding.
A new project funded by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s charity is helping patients moving into community care keep up sports they had enjoyed as part of a therapeutic programme of care on the Trust’s specialist mental health wards.
The idea came from a team of occupational therapists who support patients moving into the community and aims to help patients stay active, reduce isolation, maintain routines, develop independence, build confidence and strengthen connections within their communities.
Several monthly badminton and pickleball sessions have already taken place at Basildon Sporting Village and geocaching sessions are planned later this year, encouraging problem-solving, socialising and exercise. The team is providing travel training, helping service users build confidence to travel to sessions independently.
Angela Higgins, Senior Occupational Therapist, said: “We asked our service users what they wanted, rather than deciding for them. They told us they wanted to stay active, spend time outdoors and keep connected with people they had met in hospital.
“Keeping a regular routine and being physically active can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health and these groups help people continue those healthy activities after discharge.”
The OTs also run a monthly coffee group, bringing together people currently receiving inpatient care with those who have moved into the community.
For patients on the Trust’s wards, meeting people who have already been discharged provides an opportunity to hear about their experiences of living independently, from finding accommodation to managing bills. It can also provide reassurance and show what life after hospital can look like. For those living in the community, the group helps them maintain relationships with peers they met in hospital and engage in an activity meaningful to them.
Angela added: “We’ve seen people reconnect with peers and become more confident about meeting up independently. One person told me they had really enjoyed a recent group, had lots of fun and had smiled the whole way back to their accommodation.
“What’s particularly special is that these activities have been co-produced with our service users. They told us what they wanted, we’ve listened, and the charity funding has helped us make it happen.”
The OTs run a range of group therapy programmes, including snooker, gardening, a ‘Moving On’ group to support patients ahead of discharge, and the monthly Coffee Group. Each group has an occupational focus and brings together inpatient and community patients, helping to build confidence and support a smoother transition from hospital to community.
The sports activities are one of many projects supported by EPUT Charitable Funds. The funding supports projects that improve the experience of patients, families and colleagues across Essex, providing opportunities and support beyond what core NHS funding can cover.
