...but they wait months for NHS rehab

STROKE victims are having to wait more than four months for physiotherapy after leaving hospital, according to a report.

The delays have a ‘devastating’ impact on patients’ recovery and undo previous painstaking hard work, experts say.

Around 152,000 UK adults suffer a stroke each year and some are left paralysed on one side of the body or very weak in their limbs.

They have to relearn basic movements through physiotherapy sessions involving repetitive exercises.

Research by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy found 5 per cent of health trusts do not offer stroke victims physiotherapy within two weeks of leaving hospital. A fifth make them wait at least 13 weeks and 4 per cent cannot offer sessions until after 1 weeks.

The society’s Catherine Pope said: ‘The results of this audit are a stark reminder that too many patients are being let down once they leave hospital.

‘Effective rehabilitation gives people back their independence, allowing them to return to work or simply to resume everyday activities.’

She added: ‘It is crucial that it is regular and timely in those early days, and then on an ongoing, longer-term basis, it is important that patients can access that expert advice and support to help them manage their condition.

‘The consequences of missing out on care can be devastating so it is essential that greater attention is paid to ensuring the excellence seen in some areas is available to all.’

The research involved Freedom of Information requests to all 209 clinical commissioning groups in England, of which 135 replied.

Dominic Brand, a spokesman for the Stroke Association, described the findings as ‘extremely concerning’.

‘Major strides have been made in the way stroke is treated in hospital; however, it is clear that far too many stroke survivors are going without the right support, he said.

‘Stroke survivors regularly tell us they have had to wait weeks – and in some cases months – for the support and therapy they need to rebuild their lives.

‘For too many people, their support comes too late, it stops too soon, or they don’t have access to all types of therapy they need.’