A new draft guideline has been published to address the disparities in rehabilitation services for those with neurological conditions, such as brain and spinal cord injuries.

In the UK, 16.5 million people live with a neurological condition, including an acquired brain injury. The draft will aim to standardise the approach to rehabilitation across five major neurological conditions, ensuring consistent and adequate support for those discharged from healthcare.

The draft guideline recommends that healthcare professionals adopt a holistic approach when rehabilitating patients with chronic neurological disorders, based on their needs. This approach may involve a variety of therapies, like physical or occupational, or physiological support and vocational counselling.

Other recommendations in the guide include improving assessment and referral pathways, ensuring that individuals with chronic neurological disorders, their families, and carers are aware of how to access rehabilitation services locally, as well as making sure that each patient has a single point of contact with healthcare providers.

Professor Jonathan Benger, chief medical officer at NICE, said: “Without consistent rehabilitation support, people can experience unnecessary decline in their condition and quality of life. This useful and useable guideline will help ensure everyone receives the ongoing care they need to maintain independence and wellbeing.”