I had a TIA 4 weeks ago now was taken by ambulance to Telford Shropshire hospital which is a 70 mile round trip, i moaned at first but on arrival and my stay there found the Stroke team very professional and very caring and supportive. When i was discharged days later the Shropshire Stroke Support team were booking weekly home visits for me and support for my wife.
An elderly neighbour had a more severe stroke 6 months ago and was taken to Wrexham, Wales hospital which is only 12 mikes away accross the England Wales border. She was discharged a couple of weeks later with virtually no support apart from a couple of phone calls to her family with instructions on what to do for her. I mentioned this to my support team and tgey have taken her onboard at this late stage and visiting her.
Why oh why is it different support for different area’s.
Have other sufferers found similar instances.
Just a HUGE shout out to Shropshire Stroke Support
I think much has to do with money. Politics both local and national can be the governing issue.
Who prioritises what, is an issue as is lobbying for results.
All that is outside my ability range. We more or less get what we are given.
It is very much a lottery at the moment. It seems you & I had a similar experience - not surprising as Telford is my local hospital. I had twice weekly visits from early supported discharge for 6 & then follow on physio after that. There were / are some gaps in after care for example my OT retired & I never saw an OT again. The Stroke Association are lobbying, i think, to try & get good support for all but I guess money plays a big part.
Hi @Gcb0909 Sadly support after a stroke is definitely a post code lottery. My experience following my stroke 8 years ago was good whilst in a Rehab unit for 12 weeks but was definitely lacking following my discharge. I never had any contact with a stroke team and was given physiotherapy for 1 hour per week for 7 weeks and that was it. Everything else I have had, we have sourced ourselves and paid for ourselves. Luckily for me my husband is very good at fighting on my behalf and has been successful on a number of of occasions when I’m sure I would have given up and thrown the towel in.
We are in in South East (Kent) and support following a stroke is definitely lacking here, which I assume is due to finances or lack of in this area.
Hiya Sue that seems to be the general opinion, it seems it is due to money all round. Hopefully one day things will change and it will be standard practice for full support nationwide. Take care,
I think I was lucky here in West Yorkshire. One of the hospital physios was also a part-time worker in the community discharge team, so I had a seamless service. I had visits from OT’s and physio’s for six weeks following my discharge form hospital. I had a least two visits a week, plus exercises to do on my own. They assessed my progress suggesting aids and providing other equipment which did prove very helpful. I was given outside rails so I could access the garden to garage (where my freezer and tumble drier is). When they felt I was ready, I was given lots of contacts for other community resources to provide ongoing support. My discharge was discussed with me assessing my progress and needs for the future. In all I felt very supported, although a little nervous at being ‘on my own’. I was reassured that more support was only a phone call away. I am ever grateful to them. From some of the comments on the site I think I was cared for very well. Best wishes Norma.
6 months and 17 days my husband has now languished in hospital. 3 months and 17 days he has been fit to return home.
Physio once a week if he’s lucky.
No carers, and none likely in the near future.
He’s not the only one in the small community hospital waiting, either.
Our elderly next door neighbour with dementia is waiting, too.
So it’s no different in parts of Scotland.
Sigh…
Hiya Helen so sorry to read your post it does seem that differenf parts of the UK have different peiorities on Stroke sufferers and more important the love ones at home
Perhaps we should all write to our MP and hope that more resources are put into Stroke care
Taje care abd best regards to your hubby, hope he is home soon with the right care and support in place
I’ve written to the powers-that-be, plus the local councillor. How far that’s going to get us is anyone’s guess. I’ve not had either reply, nor acknowledgement from any of them other than our local councillor, who is keen to help.
I think it will be contacting our local SMP next.