Audit reveals long-term impact of COVID-19 on stroke rehabilitation

A Stroke Foundation audit of Australian hospitals has highlighted the ‘concerning’ long-term impact of COVID-19 on inpatient stroke rehabilitation services.  

Released today, the 2024 audit found that structures and resourcing at one in five audited services have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels, four years on.

Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says this needs to change.

“Appropriate resourcing on inpatient rehabilitation wards is critical to delivering the best possible care to all survivors of stroke across Australia so they can make the best recovery possible after stroke.”

The audit looked at various ways COVID-19 impacted rehabilitation services, such as: a relocation, or reduction, in the number of rehabilitation beds, changes in the format of ward rounds and redeployment of staff. 

Of the hospitals audited, 60 per cent recorded a reduction in the number of rehabilitation beds, 96 per cent recorded staff shortages, and 63 per cent recorded staff being redeployed to other duties, at the time of the pandemic.

“The pandemic was hugely demanding and put a significant strain on Australia’s health system. While this led to a rapid innovation in services such as use of telehealth. We cannot accept that there are still stroke rehabilitation services that have not yet returned to optimal resources. We should not have the continued crisis within the rehabilitation services that this data suggests,” Dr Murphy said.

The report highlights areas of improvement and will inform conversations and recommendations to government and health care providers.

“This will allow us to set priorities for governments, health care administrators and health care professionals as we move forward in the post-pandemic era and strive for equitable access to appropriate, specialised and adequately resourced rehabilitation services for stroke.”

“It is time to fill the critical gaps, view rehabilitation as an important next step in the patient’s treatment journey and shift the focus from surviving to thriving.”