Hywel Dda stroke rehabilitation services need urgent improvement as they are currently the worst in Wales, Ceredigion’s AM has said.

Elin Jones, speaking after a meeting with the Stroke Association and stroke survivors, has called for services to be improved, after a warning that there are difficulties in patients receiving rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.

Patients who have gone through the services have said that there are problems in receiving rehabilitation services in both acute and post-acute elements and that most stroke survivors find it difficult to receive support in their own home instead of hospital.

The Stroke Association has also said that Royal College of Physicians and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines that a minimum of 45 minutes of specific therapies should be offered to patients five days a week aren’t being met.

That has led Wales’ national clinical lead for stroke to say that “therapy provision/measures are poorest compared with the rest of Wales”.

Alison Shakeshaft, executive director of Therapies and Health Science for Hywel Dda UHB said: “We recognise our ability to provide the recommended levels of rehabilitation to individuals who have suffered from a stroke is challenged due to current levels of therapy staffing.

“To address this, as part of our Health and Care Strategy, the health board has embarked on a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency approach with partners, including the Stroke Association, Community Health Council and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to best deliver an equitable and sustainable stroke service for our population.

“Whilst this work is still ongoing, it is certainly expected to include appropriate staffing levels."

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