Stroke (Early Supported Discharge)

Experiencing a stroke can be a difficult and challenging time. Depending on your situation, we may offer you our rehabilitation programme to help you maintain your independence.

To be offered the programme, you need to meet certain criteria. This includes your stroke being a recent incident, and not a previous experience.

When you’re referred to us and we’ve agreed your discharge date from the acute stroke unit in a local hospital, we’ll visit you at home and do assess your needs.

Our six week programme can help you and your family in many different ways, such as:

• Encouraging you to get back to your normal daily activities
• Helping you with your communication
• Supporting you with moving and exercising
• Guiding you with things like improving memory, and other mental health challenges you might be having

When we meet with you, we can answer any questions about have, and help you set personal goals you’d like to achieve.  

We may also recommend special equipment and adaptions in your home to help you, such as safety rails.

Self-help support 

If you need further support, please speak to your GP about your specific condition to be guided to the relevant self-help support.

You can find also find support from local and national charities.

Visit the Stroke Association website for more information (opens new browser tab)

Visit the Stroke Care Newbury website for more information (opens new browser tab)

To access our service, you need to be aged 18 or older and registered with a GP in Berkshire.

You'll also need to have been admitted to hospital with a new, confirmed stroke diagnosis, and declared medically stable and ready for discharge. 

Referrals to our service can be made by contacting the Stroke Nurses attending the Stroke Unit. Depending on your situation, we'll then refer you to our ESD duty coordinator. 

All referrals must be accepted by our team before you’re discharged, so that we can make sure our team has available capacity to help you.  

Unfortunately, we don’t accept self referrals. 

Call 0118 9043440

Our service is community based and we have teams working from West Berkshire Community Hospital, Cremyll Road, Wokingham Community Hospital and St Mark’s Hospital.

We're available at the following times:

“I found that the help I received from the service contributed to my recovery from many of the disabling effects of my stroke so that today I can say that I am 98 per cent back to my normal self. My family has appreciated all the help that I have received from the team.” 

“Both myself and my wife have been extremely impressed with all the therapists on the community based rehab team. The service was quick and efficient from day one. Their commitment and drive was very reassuring. We have had the support we needed and the equipment we needed quickly. We have nothing but praise for all the team and we thank them for their kindness and professional manner. I hope that this service will continue to help others as they have helped us.” 

“The after care for my stroke from the ESD team has been amazing. I have a friend in Australia who had a stroke and received no after care. I phoned up when I was concerned about my arm and got a response straight away. We are very lucky to have the NHS.” 

"The staff involved were extremely patient and understanding while still pushing me to achieve my goals. They were very accommodating in things I wanted to do such as catch a bus or go swimming. An excellent service.”