The community rehabilitation unit in Leeds: A resource for people with long-term conditions

Abstract

Community rehabilitation is a well established and valuable part of the service response to the needs of people with long-term conditions. The authors explored the value of a Leeds-based community rehabilitation programme, before more formal evaluation, through two case reports of people living with long-term neurological conditions. Interventions were delivered not only in patients' homes and an outpatient rehabilitation department, but also in a facility where patients can stay overnight and access 24-hour nursing support and daily therapy input. This facility is not present in many parts of the country. Two women with a range of impairments received complex multidisciplinary interventions, incorporating repeated systematic analyses of problems by various combinations of professionals, with treatment delivered over several consecutive days across several rehabilitation disciplines. The particular benefit of the short period of focused inpatient treatment, where sustained interventions are given simultaneously by staff with complementary skills to enhance an individual’s function and maximize the gains provided by other parts of the service, is highlighted. These cases illustrate how a range of interventions, including short inpatient admissions, can be provided in a community setting to enhance participation.