Revised medical guidelines in England and Wales recommend additional rehabilitation services for stroke patients provided by the National Health Service (NHS). As part of a rigorous recovery plan, these guidelines suggest these patients require up to three hours of intensive daily therapy, spanning five days a week. While experts welcome the advice, they question the practicality of offering such treatments, given the already strained resources of the healthcare sector.
These updated guidelines might pose a challenge due to current resource constraints, yet, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) insists patients and their families have a right to the best healthcare possible. This care extends to speech recovery, reviving lost motor skills, and rectifying other deficiencies caused by brain damage during a stroke.
NHS England asserts that improving the quality and availability of rehabilitation programs is a top priority. Strokes, which occur when blood supply is hindered to certain regions of the brain, may result in cell death. Strokes are common, affecting people of all ages, but prompt and effective treatment can lead to survival and recovery over time.
The impact of a stroke varies, contingent on the area of the brain affected. While some might experience minor temporary effects, others face profound, enduring problems. Annually, there are approximately 85,000 strokes in England, with an estimated million stroke survivors managing enduring effects. However, a portion of this injury can be reversed with apt rehabilitation.
Collectively, health teams utilize services including physiotherapy, as well as occupational, speech, and language therapies to improve patient recovery. Strokes can also occur in children, with around 400 children suffering strokes annually in the UK, often leading to severe physical and mental after-effects.
Among those is Brenna Collie from Aberdeenshire, who survived a stroke at the tender age of 14. A vibrant teenager, Brenna had to endure intensive physiotherapy for a year in order to regain her ability to walk. Nevertheless, she has made significant progress since, taking up archery, resuming hockey, and even learning to knit during the Covid pandemic.
NICE notes that their advice is based on evidence showing that intensive rehabilitation enhances the quality of life and daily skills, such as self-feeding and dressing. Those recovering from strokes, along with their families and carers, express a strong belief that enhanced intensive rehabilitation aids quicker recovery.
Professor Jonathan Benger, NICE’s Chief Medical Officer, acknowledges the challenges the healthcare system will face in implementing these recommendations, including increasing staff and service capacity. However, medical professionals should not overlook the significance of offering stroke survivors the opportunity for comprehensive and long-lasting rehabilitation therapies.
Dr. Maeva May from the Stroke Association echoed these sentiments, stating that due to staff shortages, many survivors only receive a fragment of the recommended rehabilitation. She urged the government to act swiftly to solve staffing issues across health and social care, including rehabilitation services. It is crucial to ensure the necessary support and resources are available, so these recommendations may be implemented successfully.
In the event of a suspected stroke, it is imperative to immediately alert emergency services. The main symptoms of a stroke can be memorized using the acronym FAST:
Face – drooping
Arms – unable to lift both and keep them there
Speech – slurred, garbled or unresponsive
Time – dial 999 for immediate assistance
