It’s important to keep active while you are waiting for surgery. Your heart and lungs have to work harder after an operation to help your body heal. This will be a lot easier if you are already active. Many organisations can help people with poor mobility to increase their activity levels.
Access to physiotherapy, self-help advice and activities for problems with muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs:
BSC Multicultural Services supports more than 50 nationalities in Suffolk and runs health walks, chair based exercise sessions, swimming, football and a number of other activities in a culturally sensitive environment:
Abbeycroft Leisure is a social enterprise working with partners to improve the health of the community. It manages 13 leisure facilities working in collaboration with West Suffolk Council and Babergh District Council and offers live-streamed and on-demand sessions plus sessions for older members of the community:
Waiting for surgery can be a testing time for someone’s mental wellbeing and it’s important to seek information and support at an early stage if you feel your mental health is becoming a problem. A number of local organisations can help.
Wellbeing Suffolk offers a range of tailored NHS support to help with common mental health and emotional issues such as low mood, anxiety, depression or stress. Support includes one-to-one talking therapy based on individual needs, online workshops, podcasts, guided self-help programmes and community events. All services are free of charge and available to anyone aged 16 and over living in Suffolk.
You can refer yourself or seek a referral through your GP or any other health or social care professional:
BSC Multicultural Services helps more than 50 nationalities in Suffolk to improve their mental health by going on outings, learning new skills and attending a number of other activities set in a culturally sensitive environment. The charity also runs a dedicated men’s mental health project:
St Nicholas Hospice can help people to find mental health support if they are struggling emotionally with losing a loved one, including local support groups, activities and information about counselling:
Isolation and loneliness can often be consequences of waiting for surgery if people are unable to get out and meet others. Organisations which can help overcome this are listed below.
BSC Multicultural Services
BSC Multicultural Services organises outings and activities set in a culturally sensitive environment to help more than 50 nationalities in Suffolk overcome feelings of isolation and loneliness:
The Voluntary Network’s Befriending Service is open to anyone over the age of 60 who would benefit from some extra companionship. The service looks to match people who have shared interests and who will get on well.
The Befriending Scheme provides friendship and learning opportunities for vulnerable people (16yrs+) including those with learning disabilities, mental health needs, older people and other isolated groups:
Good Neighbour Schemes are local voluntary groups who support those in need of help in their community. For a list of local groups visit the Suffolk Good Neighbour Scheme Network page on the Suffolk InfoLink website:
If you have a long-term condition that is not under control, your surgery or treatment might have to be delayed. This is for your safety. Keep taking any prescription medicines as directed.
Feel Good Suffolk supports people in Suffolk to improve their health and wellbeing and lead healthy lifestyles.
Services include support to stop smoking, become more active and manage a healthy weight.
There are also lots of useful tips, advice and resources to help you make positive changes.
Help with transport difficulties is available from the organisations below.
If your journey starts in Suffolk and there’s no public transport available to you locally, Connecting Communities rural transport will collect you and connect you to an appropriate bus route or train link for onward travel so you can reach your destination:
Good Neighbour Schemes are local voluntary groups who support those in need of help in their community. For a list of local groups visit the Suffolk Good Neighbour Scheme Network page on the Suffolk InfoLink website:
If you have long term needs Suffolk County Council Occupational Therapists can assess you and your home and potentially provide minor equipment or adaptations to enable you to live more independently. They can also assess long-term needs for major adaptations and make recommendations for a relevant grant:
Suffolk County Council’s website provides links to support for debt/financial issues, food banks, the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme, the Suffolk Community Foundation Household Support Grant and support for children during school holidays:
Warm Homes Suffolk helps people to live in homes that cost less to heat so they can reduce their energy usage and lower their bills. This can be done by installing energy efficient air source heat pumps, adding solar PV panels to the roof, fitting loft and wall insulation or providing expert energy-saving advice and support. Home owners, renters and landlords can apply:
BSC Multicultural Services helps more than 50 nationalities in Suffolk with welfare benefits, housing issues, financial issues, immigration advice and general support:
It’s important to think about your general health before surgery to give yourself the best chance of recovery. The links below could also help you make changes to benefit your long-term health.
Feel Good Suffolk supports people in Suffolk to improve their health and wellbeing and lead healthy lifestyles.
Services include support to stop smoking, become more active and manage a healthy weight.
There are also lots of useful tips, advice and resources to help you make positive changes.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable. It is often linked to lifestyle choices and can lead to serious medical complications.
If you already have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, you are eligible for a place on the free Diabetes Prevention Programme and can contact your GP for a referral.
If you do not have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, you can find out if you are eligible for a place on the Diabetes Prevention Programme by either completing an online assessment or speaking to your GP surgery to request a blood glucose test:
Protect yourself against COVID-19 and Long Covid by having your booster vaccination if you’re in an eligible group. To check your eligibility and to find current information on vaccination sites and opening times visit the SNEE Vaccine website:
Protect yourself against the flu. People in eligible groups can get a free vaccination at their GP surgery or community pharmacy.
Most of our COVID-19 walk-in clinics offer the flu vaccine as well as the Covid-19 vaccine. Speak to your vaccinator if you would like to have both vaccinations at the same time.
Support for people looking after someone awaiting surgery
If you regularly look after someone who needs support because they are elderly or have mental or physical health needs, you are a carer. Carers often support a family member or a close friend with practical tasks and companionship. You do not need to be paid to be classed as a carer.
Suffolk Family Carers support family carers of all ages to maintain their own health and wellbeing, organise breaks from their caring responsibilities and access practical advice and information. There may also be help for family carers to take a break from caring because they need surgery or hospital treatment themselves:
If you are a carer, you can have a Carer’s Assessment to access support to help make your life easier. You can get an assessment by contacting adult social services at Suffolk County Council. Visit the website below to complete a quick self-assesment:
Social Prescribing Link Workers can connect carers to other support groups. Visit the website or call to self-refer to your local Link Worker.
The LifeLink service is under review and currently closed to all referrals with effect from 1 April 2022. West Suffolk Alliance will continue to offer a social prescribing service from May 2022. Further information will be provided here on how to access it.
There are specific armed forces charities which offer tailored physical and emotional support to veterans and their families and can also advise on housing, welfare and benefits. Veterans can refer themselves to all the organisations listed below.
Op COURAGE is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, armed forces veterans and their families.
Speak to your GP about managing your pain while you wait for surgery or treatment.
This group is run by people with chronic pain for people with chronic pain to share concerns and ideas, build friendships and obtain up-to-date information about managing pain.
The Pain Toolkit gives people practical tips on how to cope with chronic pain. There are videos covering different aspects of living with chronic pain and online workshops where you can talk to others with similar experiences and also healthcare professionals.
This website has useful information about how to manage chronic pain, including advice from organisations, a list of pain management services and local activities.
Information about support available to you locally, including transport, Good Neighbourhood schemes and support groups, can often be found in the parish and community magazines that drop through your door and on your local parish or town council’s website. Many local councils and community organisations are listed on the One Suffolk website:
Many services are available to download from the Suffolk Libraries website including eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, films, newspapers, courses and information on upcoming local events and activities. Access to this information is also available at your local or mobile library:
Details of other organisations and local community groups which can also offer support are available at Suffolk Infolink: https://infolink.suffolk.gov.uk/
