A report from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the charity Sue Ryder has warned that stroke survivors and other patients are being failed by the NHS due to a lack of adequate rehabilitation services. The report describes a 'postcode lottery' in the availability of community rehabilitation across England, with 'patchy provision' having 'devastating consequences' for patients discharged from hospital or newly diagnosed with serious conditions such as cancer, heart attack, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.
According to a survey of 1,002 people with a long-term health condition, only 29% said they had received enough rehabilitation. Among those who felt they received too little, 44% said they felt 'abandoned by the system'. The report highlights that only half of heart attack or stroke survivors receive cardiac rehabilitation after discharge, and just 15% of those eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation are actually referred. Many patients experience long delays, leaving them struggling to recover without support.
One patient, Elizabeth Printer, a former judge and mother of two, suffered a brain haemorrhage at age 46. She waited seven months for NHS community rehabilitation and eventually paid for private therapy to learn to walk again. 'The NHS saved my life in an emergency but then failed to help me recover any of the life I once had,' she said. 'I had to teach myself to walk again ... there was no support or guidance.' Her marriage broke down, she had to retire, and she now suffers from pain and depression.
Karen Middleton, chief executive of the CSP, said: 'Everyone should get the rehab they need to live life to the full and be as independent as possible. It's not acceptable that we are missing opportunities to improve lives.' Charlotte Nicholls, head of policy at the Stroke Association, added that thousands of stroke survivors are being let down by a postcode lottery for physiotherapy and rehabilitation services that 'desperately needs fixing'.
An NHS spokesperson said that as part of the long-term plan, 26,000 more primary care staff, including physiotherapists and musculoskeletal teams, will be recruited to help people get back on their feet. They added that most patients will attend cardiac rehabilitation services, and stroke rehabilitation will be more accessible through integrated stroke centres.
