Stroke Communication Support

The Stroke Communication Support Service is a key source of after care for people who experience communication difficulties after stroke and their carers, offering bespoke non time-limited interventions in one-to-one and group settings depending on the needs and goals of the service user. The service is unique in providing vital psychological and practical support at a well identified well-being low point: there is no other service meeting this need.

The service offers structured communication workshops offering support with a range of communication needs and looking at practical support with daily activities and supporting people back into employment, assisting both stroke sufferer and an employer with practical ways to support patient's return to work. It is particularly important, as a significant percentage of people using the service are of the working age.

Prior to the pandemic, home visits and telephone appointments made up the majority of contacts undertaken with service users, but the service has adapted well to the new, remote ways of working. Unexpectedly, online offer of one-to-one and group support was very well received by the stroke survivors and carers. These were also attended by people who would have not attended face-to-face appointments due to difficulty with traveling and gave an opportunity to create additional groups, attended by people from wider geographical areas.

The service covers geographical areas of Southampton and Hampshire, including: South West, Southampton, South East, Fareham & Gosport, Mid & North, and North East Hampshire and Farnham.