This protocol has been developed to guide stroke survivors, their family/carers and health professionals to promote exercise participation and healthy living after stroke.
SIGN 118 recommends that stroke patients in the community should have access to specialist therapy based rehabilitation services as these have been shown to improve independence. This should include exercise classes run by physiotherapists in rehabilitation settings, run by community-based leisure centres (either stroke specific or mixed), physical activity sessions run by local charities.
Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) 8.2 recommends that stroke patients being discharged home from hospital should have access to appropriately resourced, evidence–based exercise after stroke services. Further to this it recommends that patients with stroke are given advice about increasing their physical activity.