Joint School
Joint School is a service that provides information on joint replacement and what to expect through every stage of the process. Joint School is different to the education group, in which attendance to the education group is a compulsory requirement before your surgery.
During COVID-19, many procedures were cancelled in order to direct resources to COVID care. This left thousands of patients suffering from chronic pain. To help those suffering from pain, Joint School was launched to offer exercises through video to try and alleviate some of the symptoms that patients were experiencing. Joint school was set up by the NHS.
As joint replacement surgery can be a daunting prospect, the aim is to keep you fully informed of the procedure, what happens before and after, what recovery will be like and how to ensure you stay safe at home whilst you recover. When you are waiting for your surgery, you’ll be invited to attend Joint School. This will be a really good opportunity to ask the hospital staff any questions you may have and to find out more about your procedure. The programme lasts for around 2 hours.
What Will I Learn at Joint School?
There are a range of topics that will be discussed at the meeting:
- Information on your joint
- Preparation to do before surgery – exercises, ensuring your home is safe for your recovery and ensuring family are involved to help post-op
- Arrival at the hospital – time to arrive, where you need to go and what you should bring with you
- Options for anaesthesia
- Recovery expectations
- How to manage your pain after surgery through medication or other techniques
- The length of your stay in the hospital and how to know it’s safe to return home
- How to adapt to your new joint in your everyday life.
How Do I Get Invited to Joint School?
After your referral, you will receive an appointment letter that contains forms for you to fill out in full and bring with you to the session. It is vital you attend the Joint School and ask any questions you have, regardless of how simple you think they are.
