Six in 10 practitioners say loss of rehabilitation space in hospitals is harming chances of patients recovering
Stroke patients and others in need of intense physiotherapy are facing declining care because of inadequate space and equipment in hospitals, a survey shows.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists found that four in 10 NHS physiotherapy staff have lost or are expected to lose dedicated rehabilitation space.
In the survey of more than 2,000 members, six in 10 said their rooms had been taken over by other clinical teams, with some attributing this to a lack of funding or their bosses not prioritising their work.
“Five years after the pandemic, it’s shocking that rehabilitation space continues to be sidelined and routinely taken away from physiotherapy teams who are then forced to provide care in corridors,” said Sara Hazzard, the society’s assistant director. “These vital spaces are where people learn to walk again, recover from catastrophic life events such as stroke and rebuild their identity and lives after surgery in a dignified manner.
