Health needs we are tackling

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How do we promote, rebuild and maintain physical and psychological resilience by individualising interventions?

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• Prehabilitation and rehabilitation: We are investigating how we can provide exercise, nutrition and psychological support to improve outcomes from surgery, through initiatives such as SafeFit, Wesfit and Inspire. We are evaluating the optimal digital support for these interventions.  We are also investigating the underlying biological mechanisms by which exercise and good nutrition improve outcomes from surgery, including how exercise shrinks tumours.  

 

• Cancer surgery: We are investigating the best way to give treatments such as chemotherapy that shrink the tumour (neoadjuvant treatments), and surgical treatments for cancer surgery. To do this, we are comparing laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery with open surgery, and looking at the impact and timing of neoadjuvant treatments on metabolic and cancer outcomes.
   

• Optimising Fluid and Oxygen Treatment:  We are investigating how to optimise intravenous fluid and oxygen administration during surgery and critical care. We are also evaluating new types of ventilators and ventilation strategies to protect the lungs during surgery and critical illness.
   

• Optimising Long Term Conditions:  We are investigating the impact of the pre-operative optimisation of long term health conditions such as diabetes and anaemia on the outcome of surgery.

 

• End of life care: We are investigating the best timing and content of interventions at the end of patients’ lives, in order to assess outcomes before and after bereavement, and improve communication between the patient, their family and their doctor.