Reimagining recovery: Patient voices driving real change at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

By Alicia Stanton
Physiotherapist specialising in orthopaedics and Head of Service Improvement at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham

At the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (ROH) in Birmingham, patients aren’t just recipients of care – they’re active contributors to shaping it. Through a commitment to experience-based co-design (EBCD), the Trust has embedded patient insight into service development, particularly in its hip and knee replacement programme, known as JointCare.

JointCare focuses on patient wellness, emphasising independence and movement. From the start of their journey, patients receive a handbook or app to guide them through each stage of their procedure. The approach supports physical and emotional recovery, encouraging early exercise and self-management to help patients return to a better quality of life, faster.

Listening over coffee

In 2019, ROH introduced Coffee Catch Ups – informal patient reunion sessions – as part of JointCare. These events give patients a space to reflect on their experience, ask questions, and offer feedback in a relaxed setting. Held in a community venue, the events encourage open dialogue with clinical and service improvement teams over tea, coffee, and biscuits.

These gatherings aren’t just a feel-good exercise – they provide valuable insights that shape real improvements. So far, ROH has run 29 sessions (eight of which were virtual during COVID-19), with over 1,500 people, including patients and their families, taking part.

Feedback in action

What sets these sessions apart is their tangible impact. Patient insights have led to a series of practical changes, including:

• Improved pain management information: Patients wanted more clarity around medication and side effects, leading to handbook and app updates and new pain medication cards on wards.
• New DVT care pathway: After a patient shared their post-discharge experience with a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a follow-up care process was introduced to allow joint replacement patients to return to ROH for diagnosis and treatment.
• Staggered admissions: Afternoon surgery patients now arrive later, reducing unnecessary hospital wait times.
• Better activity guidance: More information has been added for patients keen to return to sports or leisure activities post-op.

A Space for shared learning

Coffee Catch Ups also foster peer-to-peer learning. Patients compare notes on their recovery, offering reassurance or motivation to others who may be progressing differently. For some, hearing about others’ experiences has been the nudge they needed to stay engaged in their recovery journey.

Beyond individual recovery, the events help staff connect with the bigger picture. Clinicians, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and even research staff gain a direct understanding of how patients experience care – what’s working, what’s missing, and where improvements can be made.

These sessions highlight the emotional and social side of recovery. In some cases, Coffee Catch Ups have sparked new friendships – from a group of golfing patients setting up their own golfing group to two women meeting for regular chats. For others, it’s led to volunteering or joining the Trust’s patient engagement group.

By bringing people together in a casual, welcoming setting, ROH addresses not only the clinical needs but also the psychosocial wellbeing of patients who may have experienced isolation or reduced confidence before or after surgery.

Motivating change, energising staff

The benefits extend to staff too. For clinical and non-clinical teams alike, hearing patient stories directly provides motivation and a clear link between their work and patient outcomes. It also supports a culture of continuous improvement (CI) – central to NHS strategies – by giving teams firsthand insight into what patients value most.

As one patient said:

“The tone was just right to get feedback – both ways! Impressive turnout from ROH staff – surgeons, physios, pharmacists etc.”

Looking ahead

The success of ROH’s JointCare and Coffee Catch Ups has drawn interest from other NHS Trusts keen to adopt similar models. However, setting up such programmes takes time and resources. ROH is now working with other NHS organisations to support wider rollout and share learnings.

There are ambitions to expand the Coffee Catch Ups to include pre-operative patients, so they can hear directly from those who’ve already been through the journey. While this presents challenges in scale and coordination, the potential benefits for patient preparedness and confidence are clear.

The Coffee Catch Up programme is more than a feedback tool – it’s a transformational platform that bridges gaps between patients, staff, and services. It drives meaningful, patient-led improvements, builds community, and enhances the healthcare experience on every level.

As one participant put it:

“I found it informative, reassuring, and enjoyable... Your team made sure everyone felt comfortable and had the chance to voice any concerns. A great success.”