London startup partners with NHS Providers to boost digital prehab

London-based health tech startup QuestPrehab has announced a partnership with NHS Providers to help NHS trusts learn about the benefits of digital prehabilitation.

Prehabilitation (prehab) focuses on improving the general health and activity of patients before surgery or treatment as a way of aiding their recovery.

The alliance is aimed at helping NHS trusts across England to access QuestPrehab’s solution to help patients recover faster, reduce hospital stays, lower waiting lists and improve patient outcomes.

NHS Providers will share the learning and benefits of the services and support the startup can offer to trusts, and the wider health and care system to support patients.

Miriam Deakin, director of development and engagement at NHS Providers, said: “We are delighted to welcome QuestPrehab as a new connect partner.

“We look forward to working with them to share their learning and the benefits of prehabilitation services with NHS trusts to support and empower patients ahead of surgery.”

NHS Providers connect partnership serves as a gateway for vetted commercial organisations to connect with its NHS trust members.

QuestPrehab says that its patient-centred digital prehab programme can help to alleviate some of the pressures presently being experienced by NHS staff by reducing the need to manage referrals, take on additional work or provide a physical space for patients.

Patients who complete a prehab course are less likely to be readmitted to hospital, enjoy improved health-related quality of life, return to work earlier and need less involvement with social and primary care providers.

Professor Tara Rampal, founder of QuestPrehab, said that the relationship with NHS Providers is a “positive recognition” of the firm’s services.

“We have a shared vision of the future of the NHS and the collaboration will allow us to work closely with NHS leaders, ensuring our services directly meet their needs and help improve patient readiness for surgery and treatments.

“We’re an attractive partner for trusts looking to improve patient outcomes via digital transformation as we directly contribute to better patient experiences and neatly fit with the NHS Providers’ commitment to high-quality, patient-centred care.

“The partnership with NHS Providers will also grant us key insights, visibility and collaborative opportunities that can help us continue to tailor our offerings to the needs of the NHS, while also building a reputation as a trusted partner in the sector,” Prof Rampal added.

QuestPrehab also announced that it has won the ‘Excellence in telemedicine’ category in the 2024 Health Care Awards.

“2024 has been a year of consistent growth for us. We’ve now helped over 1,500 oncology patients – signed pioneering contracts with hospitals in Shanghai – and begun working with patients waiting for a liver transplant,” Prof Rampal said.

Meanwhile, One Wirral CIC launched a diabetes prehab service in November 2023, which uses a population health management system on the Graphnet Health platform.

Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System announced in September 2023 that it had signed an agreement with tech provider C2-Ai to expand its waiting list initiative which includes a prehab programme for patients at risk of deterioration.