The Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service in west Essex and Hertfordshire specialises in helping patients return to work or education
Stroke survivors have shared how a specialist team has supported them to return to work.
The Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service in west Essex and Hertfordshire is one of only a small number of dedicated services of its kind in the UK.
The team works across Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
They support around 10 new patients each month and help approximately 75% of those referred to return to work or education.
The team works with individuals to develop strategies to manage the effects of stroke on physical abilities, thinking skills, communication, and energy levels.
They also support both the individual and their employer to plan a safe and successful return to work, including identifying reasonable adjustments to help the person carry out their role.
Reasonable adjustments are changes made by employers to remove or reduce any disadvantage that could affect an employee’s ability to perform their job. Employers have a legal duty to ensure that reasonable adjustments are in place, where required.
One of the people supported by the Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service is Heather, who was 63 when she had a stroke in June 2025.
She said: “I thought I was in good health. I’ve always been quite fit, although I’d recently had some back problems which stopped me running.”
Heather was on holiday in Majorca at the time and noticed she was slurring her speech, felt disorientated and was losing her balance. However, she did not initially think much of it.
A week later, while attending a pre‑planned hospital appointment for an eye problem, a clinician recognised the symptoms.
Heather, who lives near Ware in Hertfordshire, said: “He said, ‘I think you’ve had a stroke. I’m ringing the hospital now to get you seen immediately.’ I was admitted straight away and stayed in hospital for a week.”
“I was completely bewildered by it, I couldn’t believe it was a stroke. I was determined to do things myself and I’m back to normal now.
“Physically I recovered quite quickly, probably within two to three weeks.
“But it was more the brain function and the tiredness from the stroke that debilitated me to the point where it took me a long time to do things.”
Heather was concerned her ability to focus and concentrate would affect her work as a conveyancer. The Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service supported her to plan her return to work, including adjusting her working hours.
She said: “I was working full time but I was considering going part-time before the stroke. It was a natural transition for me after the health scare to make sure I did that.
“The team also helped me and other stroke survivors understand what having a stroke meant in practical terms, like managing our own expectations as well the expectations of others, our rights on returning to work, disability discrimination, and communicating with people following stroke. It was an extremely good course.”
Heather found the peer support group helpful too. People using the service are able to join the group to share experiences, advice and encouragement with others who have been through similar situations.
Heather returned to work in January this year. While she still experiences fatigue, she is more mindful of her energy levels, blood pressure and stress levels. She also values spending quality time with friends and family, who she credits for supporting her during her rehabilitation.
Another person supported by the Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service is a senior finance manager, who had a stroke in January 2025.
He had been swimming and couldn’t feel his feet when he got out of the pool. When he returned home, he became more unwell and was paralysed on the right side of his body.
At hospital, he was told he had a mini stroke. A few days later he suffered a full stroke.
The patient, who was 57 at the time, said: “Then I had another stroke. That time the depression really hit me. I thought I would have this for the rest of my life and I was never going to be well again.
“The hospital’s specialist stroke team reassured me it would clear within several hours. The worst thing was I thought it was going to happen to me again and I wouldn’t see my family again, I had a lot of fear.”
He returned to work when he felt ready but found some aspects challenging, such as being asked multiple questions, one after the other.
He said: “I thought am I stupid? I’m not the same as I was before I had a stroke.”
Working with the Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service, he identified ways his employer could support him. The team’s speech and language therapist also provided a detailed report.
This included reasonable adjustments such as working from home and ensuring complex information was communicated in writing rather than verbally.
The patient said: “I’m doing my job just as well as before, just in a different way.
“Every month I get better and better at things. I sound different, I speak more slowly etc but I’m going back to where I was, so I can do my job well.
“A few months ago I would be very emotional but now I feel it’s behind me. I don’t take it for granted , I eat very well and do all the things I’m supposed to do.”
Patients interested in learning more about the Stroke Vocational Rehabilitation Service can speak to their rehabilitation therapist or doctor to see if they meet the criteria for referral. Alternatively, they can email [email protected]
May is Stroke Awareness Month, which is organised by the Stroke Association to highlight the devastating impact of stroke and the importance of providing support for stroke survivors and those who care for them.
A stroke can happen to anyone, although factors such as age, existing medical conditions, lifestyle, family history and ethnicity can increase risk. More information about stroke risk factors is available on the Stroke Association website.
About EPUT:
- EPUT has a vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care: Who we are – Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- EPUT provides services to more than 100,000 patients at any one time and our staff are focused on providing high quality care in often complex situations.
- The organisation has invested in inpatient facilities and community services to make them safer and more therapeutic. We have extensively invested in technology to keep patients safer, enhanced training, and are continuously working with our staff, patients, their families and carers to use learning and best practice to enhance our quality of care.
- While there is more to do, the Trust has made significant progress through innovation:
- Our 111 mental health crisis phone line ensures people in need can access support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- People with lived experience have been employed in designated roles across the Trust, ensuring patient voice is heart of the organisation and all that we do.
- A number of new initiatives have been launched, helping people access the support they need when they need it most. These include a mental health urgent care department, By Your Side maternal mental health service, Rough Sleeper team, mental health crisis ambulance cars, virtual wards and neuromodulation service.
- EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 and provides community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex, Luton and Bedfordshire and Suffolk. We employ more than 7,200 staff working across more than 200 sites.
- To read more about our priorities and commitments to deliver the highest quality and safest care possible, visit https://eput.nhs.uk/about-us/2023-2028-strategic-plan/