Recovering from surgery usually involves days lying in bed, but for patients on one of the wards at Frenchay Hospital people are being encouraged to walk around, eat in a dining room and chew gum.

A new programme for people who have undergone bowel surgery at the hospital means they are taking control of their own care so that they are discharged sooner.

Rather than spending 10 to 14 days on the ward, patients are now going home just four days after surgery.

The enhanced recovery after surgery programme involves patients undergoing a lengthy pre-hospital assessment before surgery where they are given in depth information about the procedure and what will be expected of them in recovery.

It also involves the least invasive forms of surgery being used for bowel cancer, colitis and Crohn's disease.

And once the patient arrives back on the ward they need to work through their own diary of tasks every day. If they complete all the required exercises within the four days, then they will be allowed home.

People are encouraged to get dressed into their own clothes the day after the operation before completing a range of tasks.

They are advised to take several walks along a yellow line around the ward each day, eat their meals in a communal dining room rather than in their hospital bed, and visit the patient fridge to obtain their own drinks.

People are also advised to spend at least six hours out of their hospital bed a day.

Although patients are allowed to return home quicker, they are contacted every day by the ward nurses and also have access to a 24-hour helpline in case they have any concerns about their recovery.

They could also be invited back into the hospital if the team feel it would be more suitable for them.

A pilot of the programme has just been completed and, from the first 182 patients, the average length of stay was four days.

Feedback from people who have had bowel surgery during the first 10 months of the programme has been positive.

Peter Yeates, 72, of Hanham, had not imagined he would leave hospital within four days but he was determined to get home.

He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in April and his surgeon Alan Roe advised the programme at Frenchay

Mr Yeates said: "There was a lot of camaraderie and a feeling that you did not want to get left behind because other patients were working their way through the steps.

"I was out of the operation at 6pm on Friday and back home on the Monday morning.

"We had been told what we had to do. I knew I wanted to go home, so I did it.

"I would do it again, although I hope I never have to."

Enhanced recovery nurse specialist, Dawn Gane: "There is a really comprehensive programme pre-surgery, which enables us to physically and emotionally prepare the patient.

"It removes any potential risks of complications on the day they arrive for surgery.

"It means that nothing is a surprise and nothing gets thrown up on the day they are admitted."

She said it also gives the team the chance to ensure that patients are prepared for completing their recovery at home. It also means that there is someone who can help them, or that community nurses are available for support.

Lisa Hayward said: "We know from experience that a patient's own home is the ideal place for recovery.

"If they are successful in getting their bowel working again, then they can go home, sleep in their own bed and eat their own food."