The Dorset stroke and neuro service (east) provide assessment and rehabilitation for people with stroke and neurological health conditions living in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and east Dorset. We are a team of specialist physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and therapy assistant practitioners, who enable and empower patients to maximise their independence within home and community-based settings, group and online settings, and to work towards agreed patient orientated goals.

We accept patients who are:

  • registered with a Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch or east Dorset GP
  • 18 years of age or over
  • medically stable and safe to be in the community (we are not an urgent, intermediate care or rapid response service)
  • diagnosed with a stroke or neurological condition, or presenting with neurological symptoms, that would be best managed by a stroke and neuro specialist team.

Examples of how we can help

  • Assessment and neuro-rehabilitation for people with stroke and neurological health conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and functional neurological disorder
  • Reviewing mobility – strength and balance
  • Providing home exercise and rehabilitation plans adapted to individual’s needs and goals
  • Adapting your environment with equipment or strategies to make life easier
  • Advice on positioning in chairs and beds to promote good range of movement in joints and prevent pressure areas – this could include provision of a splint
  • Promoting long-term wellbeing, including returning to work, hobbies and social activities
  • Improve independence with tasks of daily living such as washing and dressing or cooking
  • Managing fatigue, memory and concentration challenges

What to expect

Our process for appointments is as follows.

  1. Your referral is received by the team from GP/health professional/self-referral.
  2. Your case is triaged by a clinician, and you may receive a telephone call requesting further information.
  3. You are placed onto our waiting list.
  4. You may receive written material/letter in the post with “While You Wait” info/simple exercises/advice to try.
  5. You are allocated to a therapist/rehabilitation assistant.
  6. We will contact you directly (and/or next of kin/carers) to discuss and establish your needs/rehab goals. Assessment will be started over the phone if appropriate.
  7. Options for your neuro rehabilitation may include: face-to-face appointments at your own home or care home, clinic-based appointments, group and/or online sessions.

Contact details

Telephone: 01202 646090

Email: dhc.eastdorsetstrokeandneuroservice@nhs.net

If you require community therapy services in Dorset, outside of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, or need more urgent therapy assessment, visit our community rehabilitation services page.

Key information about this service

If you feel you need an assessment/input from the team you can either:

  • discuss this with your GP/other health professionals involved with your care/health and ask to be referred.
  • self-refer via telephone – call 01202 646090 (Monday-Friday, 8.30am-4pm), and ask to discuss a self-referral with the duty clinician (you may have to leave a message and the duty clinician will get back to you.)
  • self-refer using our online form
  • email dhc.eastdorsetstrokeandneuroservice@nhs.net

Please include information about:

  • the reason for your self-referral to the stroke and neuro service (east) team
  • any significant current, or previous health conditions, including recent surgery or hospital admissions
  • your current level of function? Please include details of abilities or difficulties with transfers (e.g. getting out of bed, standing up from a chair), standing, walking and aids used/required
  • your rehabilitation goals and what matters most to you?
  • any falls you've experience? How many in the last week, month or year? Do you know the reason for your fall(s)?

The demand for our service is high, which means we have a waiting list. The length of time you have to wait will depend on your specific treatment and clinical needs but all referrals are prioritised on an individual basis by experienced clinicians.

What should I do if my situation has changed?

If you feel that you no longer require therapy input, please contact the office on 01202 646090 to update us. This will help to reduce our waiting list and allow us more time to contact those who would most benefit from our input.

If your situation has deteriorated (for example, you are experiencing more frequent falls) please contact the office on 01202 646090 to update us so that your referral can be appropriately triaged. 

What can I do while I am waiting?

Think of specific community-based rehabilitation goals you would like to achieve. By this, we mean choose something you would like to work on with us that is important to you. For example, your goal may be to be able to mobilise indoors to water house plants independently, or to be able to walk indoors with a walking stick rather than a zimmer frame, or to be able to have a strip-wash independently.

Collect all relevant past medical history including the date of your stroke or neurological diagnosis, a list of your medication, and information of your falls history (if applicable). If you have fallen 2-3 times in the past week please contact your GP.

Within this webpage we have included some useful contacts and resources which may be helpful while you are waiting to be seen. It is important to remain as active as you can and engage in functional tasks as much as you are able and safe to do so. Please visit our lifestyle and keeping active page to help you with ideas to remain active.

How can I access private therapy while I am waiting? 

We cannot recommend any particular provider however there is a database of private physiotherapists and occupational therapists held by our governing bodies (CSP and RCOT) should you wish to look at this further:

What about equipment?

You may prefer to purchase your own aids privately from a local mobility store or the internet rather than waiting for an assessment. If you would like information on how to use a walking aid safely and how to measure the walking aid to ensure it is the correct height for you, please contact the office to request an information sheet. We have information on using walking sticks, crutches, frames and rollators. See the links below for online everyday living aids shops.

Everyday living aids – Parkinson's shop (parkinsons.org.uk)

Mobility Aids for the Elderly & Disabled – Manage At Home

If you need equipment such as grab rails, toilet frames, perching stools, commodes, stand aids or hoists, and do not have rehabilitation goals, then social care occupational therapists would be more suitable to review you. Please contact them on 01202 123654.

If you have been provided with equipment from the NHS previously and find it is broken or worn, or no longer required, please contact Medequip on 01305 235499 to arrange repair or replacement.

Many of our patients do not need regular follow-up appointments with our clinicians. Instead, some patients are offered 'patient initiated follow-up' (PIFU) appointments. This means you can arrange a follow-up appointment as and when you need it.

Your referral will be left open with the service for six months after your last appointment date, after this time you may need a new referral from your GP or health care professional to access the service.

The clinician responsible for your care will tell you what symptoms or complications after treatment to look out for, that would mean you should make an appointment. They will also provide you with the information you need on how to contact the service.