A £2.5 million investment approved by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (ICB) will strengthen community stroke rehabilitation services, helping more people access specialist support sooner and recover closer to home.
The investment supports the ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan by shifting more care into communities, improving access to rehabilitation after hospital, helping people regain their independence and reducing variation in community stroke services.
Each year, more than 3,400 people experience a stroke across Norfolk and Suffolk, while around 37,000 people are living with its long-term effects. The investment follows close collaboration with people who have experienced stroke, their families and carers, clinicians, NHS providers and partners, including the Stroke Association. Their insights highlighted the need for faster access to rehabilitation, more consistent services and greater community capacity, helping shape an investment that reflects what matters most to people using our services.
The investment will support the recruitment of around 40 additional specialist roles across community stroke teams over the next six months, with services expanding in phases as new colleagues join teams across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Ed Garratt OBE, Chief Executive of NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board, said:
“For many people, recovery from a stroke truly begins when they leave hospital. By investing in community rehabilitation, we can provide more personalised, compassionate support that helps people regain their independence sooner, recover closer to home and achieve the best possible recovery.
“This investment reflects our values of kindness, collaboration and ambition. By listening to people with lived experience, working closely with our partners and continuing to invest in community services, we are strengthening stroke care in a way that reflects the direction of travel for the NHS – bringing more care into communities, reducing variation in services and ensuring people receive joined-up care in the right place and at the right time.
“Alongside improving outcomes and experience for patients and their families, strengthening community rehabilitation will also help people leave hospital sooner when they are ready, supporting better patient flow and making sure hospital care is available for those who need it most.”
As capacity grows, more people will benefit from earlier access to specialist rehabilitation, while an estimated 7,400 hospital bed days will be released each year by reducing delays in discharge and improving patient flow across local hospitals.