Commenting on new NICE recommendations that the amount of rehabilitation time offered to people who have had a stroke needs to increase, Head of Practice and Workforce at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), Suhailah Mohamed, said:
‘Rehabilitation is essential after a stroke and can mean the difference between being able to fulfil the occupations people who have had a stroke want and need to do, and not being able to do them. Occupational therapists work closely with medics and other health professionals, such as physiotherapists and speech and language therapists, to help people recover well from a stroke. The intensity and frequency of therapy is key to stroke rehabilitation so more therapy, more often is essential for recovery. However, we need to ensure the workforce is ready for a plan like this, and there’s nothing in the NHS England Workforce Plan to suggest it will be. Services need to be fully staffed and resourced so that everyone who needs occupational therapy, and other therapies, can get it for as long as they need it.’