Skip to content

Waiting Well for your appointment

What is Waiting Well?

Waiting well means looking after your health while you wait for an appointment with a healthcare specialist or access to health or social care services. It’s about staying as well as possible – both physically and mentally – during this waiting period.

Why wait well?

Taking simple, positive steps while you wait can help you:

  • Feel better day-to-day, physically and emotionally
  • Reduce symptoms or prevent them from worsening
  • Avoid new health problems
  • Feel more prepared and in control of your care
  • Stay independent and active, supporting your overall wellbeing

How to wait well:

  • Keep moving and stay active, if possible
  • Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water
  • Look after your mental health – see link below to the Holly Health, Sleepio, Daylight and NHS Ayrshire & Arran apps
  • Seek help and support for other things that might affect your health & wellbeing such as money worries or caring responsibilities
  • Stop smoking and limit alcohol intake
  • Follow any advice and exercises that you have been given from your GP or specialist

Even small changes can have a big impact. Taking care of yourself now helps you feel better and be ready for your care when it begins.

What is Cancer Prehabilitation?

Cancer prehabilitation (or “prehab”) is about preparing yourself physically and emotionally before cancer treatment starts. It’s a form of waiting well and can begin as soon as you’re diagnosed.

Prehabilitation focuses on:

  • Staying physically active
  • Eating well and maintaining a healthy weight
  • Supporting mental health and wellbeing
  • Reducing or quitting smoking
  • Cutting down on alcohol

These steps can help you cope better with treatment and improve your recovery. Cancer patients who get support early on and are as healthy as possible before treatment starts are more likely to:

  • leave hospital sooner after cancer surgery
  • cope better with the side effects of cancer treatment
  • have fewer side effects
  • have more treatment options
  • have better long-term health

In the news

Cancer prehabilitation is gaining national attention for its benefits. These articles highlight how it’s helping people live better and recover faster:

“I was referred to Quit Your Way to help me stop smoking before my lung cancer treatment in 2024. My medical team explained that continuing to smoke would increase my risk of infection. The support I received made a big difference – I felt much better going into treatment, and the support from the service made quitting easier. I’ve now been smoke-free for 14 months. I still miss it sometimes, but the continued support from my Quit Your Way advisor has helped me stay on track.”

Anonymous, NHS Ayrshire & Arran patient

Local Support to Help You Wait Well

There are many free local services and resources available to help you stay well while you wait for care:

  • The Better Health Hub – offers friendly, confidential advice and can advise you on how to access local services that support your health and wellbeing – including help with money, housing, getting more physical activity, changing your diet, and more.
  • Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) – supports people affected by cancer get the help they need, whether it’s financial, emotional or practical.
  • Better Health local information – our local NHS better health page provides tips on improving your health and wellbeing and information on where to get support  including around physical activity, mental health, support to stay in work, and support to stop smoking. –
  • Nutrition support – The NHS inform food and nutrition page offers tips on how to eat well.
  • Alcohol support – If you’re concerned about your own or someone else’s alcohol use, this webpage offers information on low-risk drinking, tips to cut down, and local support services.

Apps

  • NHS Ayrshire & Arran App – A free app offering easy access to a wide range of health and wellbeing information, all in one place.
  • Sleepio  – A free digital sleep improvement programme using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to help manage insomnia.
  • Daylight – A free app designed to help reduce anxiety through guided techniques and support.
  • Holly Health App  – A personalised digital health coach to help build healthy habits around sleep, stress, physical activity, and nutrition.

Explore more helpful links for advice on “waiting well” below:

Local Community Support

Find out what’s available in your area: