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Stroke Survivor Learns to Walk in Corridor, Faces Private Fees
12 Aug
Summary
- Stroke survivor Duxbury learned to walk again in a hospital corridor.
- Physiotherapists warn of increased disability due to NHS service cuts.
- Patient now pays privately for physiotherapy after NHS treatment ends.
A stroke survivor has spoken out about the severe impact of NHS service cuts, describing how he had to relearn to walk in a hospital corridor. Dave Duxbury, 63, suffered a stroke last September, leaving him with limited movement. Due to insufficient hospital space, his rehabilitation took place in a corridor, an experience he found embarrassing.
Physiotherapists are sounding the alarm, with a recent poll indicating that nearly half of practitioners believe patients are experiencing increased disability. This is attributed to recruitment freezes, deleted posts, and a significant reduction in dedicated rehabilitation space within NHS services. Many patients are facing longer waiting times and less intensive therapy.
Duxbury's NHS physiotherapy was eventually discontinued after 12 weeks, compelling him to seek and pay for private therapy sessions. He now travels 45 minutes weekly for private care, emphasizing that patients should not have to bear such costs for essential recovery services.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) highlights that these issues persist even as the NHS aims to shift more care into community settings. They warn that without adequate staff and space, these ambitions cannot be met, potentially leading to more preventable long-term disabilities.
