Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has installed a new outdoor gym for patients at Dorothy Pattison Hospital.
The Walsall-based hospital has added an outdoor gym to the space, accessible for patients to use, which includes an exercise bike, a cross trainer and a weight-focused machine featuring chest press and pull-down.
The new gym, which was delivered by Fresh Air Fitness, has been installed in a previously unused rear garden of Langdale, transforming an underutilised area and making it beneficial space for patients.
The benefits of physical exercise in improving mental health are well-established and Black Country Healthcare already offers a range of opportunities for physical activity and exercise through the Trust’s Occupational Therapy Team and volunteers, with the existing indoor gym an integral part of helping patients to manage their conditions and supporting their rehabilitation.
It is hoped this new outdoor gym compliments the current offering, giving patients more choice and allowing additional exercise opportunities.
Duncan Lewis, Allied Health Professional (AHP) and Occupational Therapy Team Lead – Walsall Adult Inpatient Services said: “Evidence shows that exercise can be really beneficial, not only in terms of improving physical health but also in helping to improve mental wellbeing too.
"The indoor gym at Dorothy Pattison Hospital has been an essential part of patient treatment for many years. We hope that adding the outdoor gym will provide patients with more choices and enhance the integration of fitness into their recovery journeys."