Page 52 • The HERALD • 27th August 2026 v THE HERALD - SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES v Health, Beauty & Wellbeing • Fully trained counsellor - Level 5 • 2 locations:- St Andrews, Dibden Purlieu and Central Southampton • A warm and welcoming approach • All issues welcome T. 07464 338882 www.gillianhoughtoncounselling.co.uk The Waterside Physiotherapy & Osteopathy Clinic www.thewatersideclinic.co.uk Jon Eyres and Associates • NECK AND BACK PAIN • PREGNANCY RELATED PAIN • ACUPUNCTURE • ARTHRITIC PAIN • ALL SPORTS INJURIES • SHOULDER/ARM PAIN Treatment by Chartered Physiotherapists and Registered Osteopaths Registered with all major health insurers and HCPC Tel: 023 8020 7764 First Floor, South Street Centre, Hythe, Southampton SO45 6EB Kit Davison FHP MCFHP MAFHP Qualified Foot Health Practitioner • Corns, Calluses, ingrown toenails, • Athlete’s Foot and thickened toenails. • Toenail and fingernail cutting. Flexible appointments and home visits available. 07752 674591 kdavison@kdfootcare.co.uk http://kdfootcare.co.uk University Hospital Southampton Charity-Funded Exercise Role Cuts Hospital Stays By Two Days For Older Patients A specialist exercise role funded by Southampton Hospitals Charity and delivered by Saints Foundation has signi cantly reduced the length of time older patients spend in hospital, new data has shown. Recent analysis has shown that patients supported by the programme are spending an average of 2.1 fewer days in hospital, helping them return home to their families and communities sooner. e role, which has been running since 2022, sees Jake Batchelor - a specialist exercise practitioner from Saints Foundation – the Charity of Southampton Football Club - working directly with older patients in the Medicine for Older People Gym, a facility also funded by Southampton Hospitals Charity. Sessions are designed to keep patients moving and socially engaged during their stay, combining chair-based exercises, adapted exercise bikes, group mobility sessions and VR re ex games. e aim is to prevent the physical and mental decline that can set in during long periods of inactivity in hospital, a condition known as deconditioning, and to help patients regain the strength, balance and con dence they need to return home safely. Analysis by the hospital’s transformation team now provides clear evidence that the approach is working. Patients supported by the programme are going home sooner and more independently. e results position the initiative as a compelling model for how relatively modest, targeted investment in wellbeing and preventative care can generate substantial returns - both for patients and for the wider healthcare system. Ellis Ban eld, Chief Executive of Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: “These results are a powerful “What really stands out is the impact Jake has as an individual. He is universally loved by patients and staff alike, and the trust and warmth he brings to every session is a huge part of why the programme works. For many of our patients, coming into the gym is about much more than exercise. It gives them confidence, lifts their mood and helps them feel more like themselves again. Seeing patients regain strength, independence and belief in what they can do is incredibly powerful.” Jake Batchelor, Falls Practitioner at Saints Foundation, said: “Every day I see patients come into the gym feeling uncertain about what they can still do, and leave feeling stronger, more confident and more like themselves. Whether it’s getting back on a bike, trying VR for the first time or just moving and laughing with other patients, those moments matter enormously. To know that this work is also helping patients get home to their families sooner makes it even more meaningful. It’s a privilege to be a part of that.” To nd out more or to support Southampton Hospitals Charity’s work, visit: southamptonhospitalscharity.org demonstration of what the funds we raise can achieve. When we first funded this role, we believed that keeping older patients active and engaged during their hospital stay would make a real difference to their recovery - and the evidence now shows just how significant that difference can be.” Harnish Patel Associate Professor and Consultant Physician for Medicine for Older People at University Hospital Southampton, said: Jake Batchelor, Falls Practitioner at Saints Foundation working with patients
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