Vale Community Hospital stroke rehabilitation unit opening image
Credit: The Gazette
Launched on the 4th of February, a new specialist stroke rehabilitation is now open at the Vale Community Hospital in Dursley, Gloucestershire.
Located within the Peak View Ward at the Hospital, the special inpatient unit aims to bridge the current gap in post-stroke care in Gloucestershire, allowing people who have suffered a stroke to have the best possible recovery.
The rehabilitation unit has been set up for for patients who no longer need specialist medical care at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital but still require stroke rehabilitation that cannot be delivered at home.
Featuring 14 specialist stroke beds and six general community beds, the unit is staffed by a multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists (OTs), rehabilitation assistants and hotel services.
Professional Head of Adult Physiotherapy in Gloucestershire Care Services Sarah Morton told the Gazette: “The Specialist Stroke Rehabilitation Unit came about following the findings of an NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group review, which examined the stroke rehabilitation pathways in Gloucestershire.
“The report concluded that although there were lots of elements of really good service provision within the county, there wasn’t a seamless pathway for stroke rehabilitation.
“The stroke unit at The Vale is a centralised, co-ordinated unit where we can focus our resources. The development of this unit has been a result of collaborative partnership working between commissioners and clinicians from Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, community organisations, patient representatives and a range of key stakeholders.
“By providing a community bed-based service here at Vale Community Hospital, we aim to continue the rehabilitation journey for patients following a stroke in a suitable, fit-for-purpose environment.
“When patients no longer need inpatient specialist stroke rehabilitation, and if it is safe and effective for them to have rehabilitation in their own home, they will receive ongoing support from community stroke specialist nurses or the early supported discharge (ESD) community team, including community stroke specialist nurses, specialist therapists and rehabilitation assistants.”