Open Gym project helping stroke patients in Derby take quicker steps to recovery
A husband whose wife benefited from an innovative new Open Gym initiative, designed to improve people's rehabilitation, confidence and health outcomes after a stroke, says the facility helped show them "there really is light at the end of the tunnel".
The Open Gym, which runs every weekday on the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit (SRU) at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, gives patients the opportunity to access therapy equipment in a more flexible and independent way, supported by therapists and family members where needed.
Since launching earlier this year, the initiative has already added hundreds of extra hours of rehabilitation activity each month, without the need to increase hours of University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) NHS Foundation Trust colleagues in the unit. This helps patients remain active throughout the day and supports their recovery following stroke, while simultaneously optimising the time spent by our colleagues supporting them.
Rachel Sadler, Clinical Team Lead Physiotherapist, said the idea was developed in response to national guidance encouraging more intensive rehabilitation after stroke.
She said: “We know that recovery after stroke is about much more than the time patients spend in formal therapy sessions. National guidance is increasingly focused on helping people stay active throughout the day and reducing the amount of time spent inactive.
“We wanted to find a way of giving patients more opportunities to practise, move and engage in their rehabilitation, while also helping them develop the confidence and independence they will need when they return home.”
Unlike traditional therapy groups, the Open Gym is designed to give patients more choice and control over how they spend their time. Patients can work on activities that support their own rehabilitation goals, while therapists remain on hand to provide guidance and support.
Laura Hulton, Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist, said the approach encourages patients to become active participants in their own recovery. She said:
The Open Gym is about empowering people to take ownership of their rehabilitation. Recovery doesn’t only happen during one-to-one therapy sessions – it’s a 24/7 process.
“We’ve found that patients who engage with their rehabilitation and build those self-management skills often achieve really positive outcomes. The Open Gym helps create opportunities for that to happen.”
The initiative has also created benefits beyond physical rehabilitation, allowing for a holistic approach to recovery. By bringing patients together in a shared environment, the Open Gym has developed into a space where people can encourage one another, share experiences and celebrate progress together. Family members and loved ones are also encouraged to attend, helping them better understand rehabilitation exercises and support patients outside of formal therapy sessions.
Rachel said: “One of the biggest things patients tell us is how much they value being around other people who are going through a similar experience.
“They see others making progress and it motivates them. There’s a real sense of peer support that develops naturally, and that can have a positive impact on confidence, wellbeing and mood.
“Family involvement is really important. The Open Gym gives relatives the opportunity to see rehabilitation in action and understand how they can support recovery. It creates a more holistic approach where patients, families and staff are all working together towards the same goals.”
Maurice, whose partner Julie received rehabilitation on the unit, said the support available through the service had given him confidence and hope for the future.
Speaking during her rehabilitation on the unit, he said: “If we’d known then what we know now, I think we'd both have felt much more confident that a stroke isn’t the end of the world and that there is support available to help people recover.
“When Julie first arrived, she had very little movement and very little speech - but since coming here she’s made real progress, and so much faster than we'd anticipated.
One of the most inspiring things has been seeing other patients recover and sharing our experience with others. We saw someone who couldn’t walk at all when they arrived, and six weeks later they were walking up and down the corridor.
It showed us there really is light at the end of the tunnel.
Early data collected since the project launched shows that patients are spending significantly more time engaged in rehabilitation activities, with hundreds of additional hours of active rehabilitation recorded since the Open Gym initiative was introduced.
Therapists have also noticed patients becoming more motivated to stay active outside of scheduled sessions, helping to establish healthy routines and maintain momentum throughout their recovery journey.
Julie, who attended the Open Gym during her rehabilitation, said the sessions had become an important part of her recovery.
She said: “The Open Gym is excellent. It’s hard work, but I can already see progress. I stood up for the first time recently and I’m getting movement back in my leg.
“I’d encourage anybody recovering from a stroke to give it a go. Every exercise helps and it gives you confidence that you can keep improving.”
Julie also said that seeing former patients return to the unit to share their recovery stories had inspired her own rehabilitation journey, adding that she would happily do the same for future patients once she has recovered.
For Marion, who also attended the Open Gym as part of her recovery, the sessions helped rebuild confidence following her stroke.
She said: “I was never a big gymnast, but I really enjoy it.
“It’s given me a lot of confidence and made me feel better about my recovery. Having a stroke is frightening because it can feel like you’ve lost so much. Recovery can feel like learning a completely new skill, but being around other people who understand what you’re going through really helps and inspires you to keep going.”
For the team at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, the success of the Open Gym is ultimately measured by the difference it makes to patients.
Laura said: “Having a stroke can completely change someone’s life and can take away a lot of independence very suddenly.
“The Open Gym gives people the opportunity to do something for themselves, work towards their goals and see the progress they are making. That sense of achievement is incredibly important.
“It’s helping people build confidence, supporting their recovery and preparing them for life beyond hospital.”
Rachel added:
What’s been most rewarding is seeing patients choose to come back day after day because they can see the benefits for themselves. That motivation, confidence and ownership of their recovery is exactly what we hoped to achieve.
Building on this early success, Rachel will be joined by her colleague Jan Jolly, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, to present a talk about the Open Gym initiative at the UK Stroke Forum in December 2026. This is a multidisciplinary conference bringing stroke professionals together from a coalition of over 30 different organisations - sharing the latest research, education, and best practice in stroke care.