Post-op pack
Apply to receive our post-op pack: a tailor-made collection of resources to support pectus patients in the first stages of their surgical recovery.
What’s included?
Our post op support pack includes a number of resources to support patients as they recover from pectus surgery:
Physiotherapy advice
CPR guidance
List of Early Warning Signs
Medical ID bracelet
One-year membership to MedicAlert first responder service
MedicAlert has a 24/7 emergency helpline, making your vital health information available to first responders and health professionals in an emergence. This provides a level of assurance for patients, especially those living a long distance from a specialist pectus clinic, whose local NHS may have a limited understanding of such specialist surgery.
All these resources have been created by medical professionals, answering commonly asked questions and addressing concerns that might arise post-pectus surgery.
Why should I apply?
We created the post-op pack to make patients feel more supported in their recovery from pectus surgery.
Pectus surgery is major surgery: it can be very painful and cause complications which might make your recovery take longer or require you to seek further medical attention. UK data shows that readmission rates and instances of complications after pectus surgery are higher than the national average.
We’re also very aware that many patients having pectus surgery travel long distances to a specialist surgical centre. This means that after returning home from their operation, patients can feel isolated and unsupported from the team that treated them. If patients experience acute symptoms or complications during their recovery, they may worry about having to engage with their local NHS trust which may have no knowledge of pectus conditions, surgery or the complications that might result.
We also know that not all hospitals provide their patients with the same level of support post-operatively. This can sometimes leave patients feeling like they have unanswered questions about their recovery.
We hope that our post-op pack offers patients an extra level of assurance, so that they feel more confident and support in their recovery.
Eligibility
In order to receive the post-op pack, you must be a UK resident.
As children and adults can have pectus surgery, there is no age restriction on the post-op pack. If the intended recipient of the post-op pack is under the age of 16, a parent or guardian must apply on their behalf.
How to Apply
Become a Friend of Pectus Matters
For as little as £5 a month you can become a Friend of Pectus Matters. Your donation ensures that future patients can continue to access valuable resources like this. Alternatively, you may want to make a one-off donation at the suggested amount of £50.
Complete the application form
Tell us your full name, date of birth, UK home address, and email address.
We’ll then send you out the post-op pack resources, as well as a verification form for MedicAlert, so that you can order your medical ID bracelet.
It could take up to 5 working days for Pectus Matters to consider your application. You will receive an email in response to your application from info@pectusmatters.co.uk.
Receiving your post-op pack
You will receive an email from the Pectus Matters team containing the three resource documents, your verification form, and a link to apply for your MedicAlert medical ID bracelet. You will need to upload the referral form to your application for verify that you are eligible to receive a medical ID bracelet.
MedicAlert will review your application and contact you by email with instructions on how to create your MedicAlert record. You will receive a code to be applied at checkout. This code entitles you to your first year of MedicAlert membership for free and £25.99 towards an ID of your choice.
As part of creating a MedicAlert membership, you may be asked to upload additional information or documents about your pectus surgery or medical history.
Personal Data
We will collect your personal data as part of this application. This will be stored by Pectus Matters. Basic information will be shared with MedicAlert as part of the referral process; this includes name, date of birth, email address and UK home address.