In this report we have engaged patients, their relatives and staff to assess the inpatient general rehabilitation service provided by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C).
Inpatient rehabilitation provides a tailored environment in which patients can rebuild strength and mobility following a stay in hospital. Rehabilitation units act as a bridge between acute hospital care and home, to enable ongoing recovery after illness, injury or surgery.
We were commissioned by NCH&C to carry out this work to complement their own existing feedback and provide detailed insight into the experiences of rehabilitation, discharge, and post-discharge care.
As part of this we looked at the full rehabilitation journey, from admission to discharge, with a focus on four key areas:
- acute hospital communication about the rehabilitation journey
- the ward environment
- the quality of care and therapy
- discharge and post-discharge care
In addition to these areas, we also evaluated the Guide for Unpaid Carers – Hospital Stays, an information guide designed to provide practical information and support to carers and the people they care for about what to expect during a hospital stay.
On the basis of our findings we have made a number of recommendations, including:
- Enhance communication about rehabilitation to support meaningful patient understanding and manage expectations
- Improve patient awareness of rehabilitation activities to encourage engagement and better support therapy delivery
- Strengthen patient-centred care through workforce capacity and support
- Improve discharge planning and day-of-discharge experiences
NCH&C has responded with details of an action plan that has been drawn up to address the recommendations outlined in the report.
