Inspirational hospital volunteer’s efforts to help patient stay and speed up recovery

One volunteer’s unwavering dedication at Macclesfield District General Hospital is making a profound difference for patients and their journey to recovery.

Working alongside therapy staff at the hospital, Walter Weaver’s compassionate efforts have seen the ward volunteer help patients start their day right by encouraging them to get out of bed before 11am, promote the benefits of early mobility and share chair exercises with the overall aim to speed up recovery and get them home quicker.

Walter said: “As a regular ward volunteer I am pleased to be taking part in this important project by encouraging patients to mobilise as quickly as possible as they recover from serious illness.

“It's good to think that this can play a role in shortening their stay in hospital and speeding up their return to their family and friends."

Many patients, particularly older people, who spend time in hospital find that they no longer feel able, or confident, to live independently, or take part in their usual activities when they are discharged.

This is because of the impact that spending an extended amount of time in bed can have on the body. In fact, for every ten days of bed rest in hospital, the equivalent of ten years of muscle ageing can occur in people over 80 years old, and building this muscle strength back up takes twice as long as it does to deteriorate.

Outpatient Therapy Team Manager, Mandy Bulgan, said: “Volunteers are the heart of our hospital, bringing comfort and hope to patients and their families, and Walter’s dedication and compassion is truly making a difference in the recovery process.

“Encouraging patients to get out of bed and move around can significantly enhance their recovery by improving mobility, reducing the risk of muscle stiffness, and shortening hospital stays.”

Notes for editors

• For further information about East Cheshire NHS Trust, contact the Trust press office on 01625 663935.
• East Cheshire NHS Trust is the main provider of acute and community health services for people across East Cheshire. The Trust is based at Macclesfield District General Hospital, and also manages Congleton War Memorial Hospital and Knutsford and District Community Hospital.
• Follow East Cheshire NHS Trust on Twitter for all the latest news: @EastCheshireNHS
• East Cheshire NHS Charity goes above and beyond standard Government funding to make your local NHS that extra special. From supporting staff health and wellbeing to providing toys to brighten up our young patients’ days to making long stay patients feel more at home – our mission is to make a visible difference. You can make a donation to the charity on JustGiving here.