Abstract
A point-prevalence survey in Salisbury Hospitals identified 62 inpatients with a primary diagnosis of stroke, 56 of whom had been conscious on admission. Overall, 96% of patients had been referred for physiotherapy and 72% for occupational therapy. However, analysis by admitting specialty showed large differences between geriatric and general medicine in both percentage of patients referred and average referral times. The Salisbury results were compared with the Edinburgh stroke unit randomized controlled trial which had shown differences in referral patterns and early functional outcome. Geriatric medicine admissions followed the Edinburgh stroke unit pattern for remedial therapy referral, but general medicine admissions were similar to the Edinburgh study's control units. The implications of these results for functional outcome and resource use led to recommendations for referral policies for stroke patients in Salisbury.
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