10 March 2006
The care and rehabilitation of stroke patients outside hospital must be improved, the Healthcare Commission said this week.
It called for a renewed drive for better services after surveying 875 patients following their stroke. The condition causes 10% of deaths in England, but the ability of the 100,000 patients who survive each year to live independently is largely determined by their after-hospital care.
A year ago patients were interviewed immediately after discharge and 87% felt their care was very good or good. But a year on only 66% reported the same levels of satisfaction. More than half of those who needed home care did not get the support they wanted, while sizeable minorities said they did not receive enough help with mobility.
The Stroke Association said that out-of-hospital services needed to improve. 'The latest findings confirm the sorry state of services for stroke survivors after they leave hospital. Stroke is the largest cause of severe disability in England and Wales and core rehabilitation services, physiotherapy and speech therapy are vital to the recovery of stroke patients,' a spokesman added.
Tony Rudd, who chairs the Royal College of Physicians' stroke working party and is consultant stroke physician at Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation trust, said the findings were disappointing.
'They show that community care for people after they've left hospital is not as good as it should be. It reaffirms that we need to get stroke patients into properly managed, specialist stroke services, which are better equipped at co-ordinating after-care with community services,' he added.
PFmar2006
