A to Z of services

The Community Neurorehabilitation Team offers specialist rehabilitation services for people who have had an acute neurological event or a deterioration in function due to their neurological condition. 

We aim to deliver a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for people with acquired brain injury for a maximum period of 8 weeks, focusing on specific goals for each patient.

The team provides rehabilitation at either Broad Green Centre, the persons’ home or in the local community dependent on the patient’s needs.

A transport service is available for patients to the Broad Green Centre, if they are unable to access private or public transport due to physical or cognitive problems.

Our co-ordinated inter-disciplinary therapy team offers services mainly for the following neurological conditions:

• Stroke
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury

However, there are a variety of other people with neurological conditions who may benefit from this team, so please consult with your doctor or allied health professional to discuss your needs.

In addition we also offer a brain injury psycho-educational group programme for people who have suffered brain injuries. 

See also Neuropsychology services.

Appointments

When will I receive my timetable?

You will receive your timetable on the Friday or Saturday before your appointment week begins. Sometimes you may be handed your appointments if you are seeing a therapist on the Thursday or Friday.

What happens if I am unwell?

Please contact us on 0208 274 6492 as soon as possible as we may need to cancel your transport as well. You should not attend if you have a cold, the flu or stomach upset, this is in consideration for others attending the centre.

The minimum requirement  for cancelling your appointment is 24 hours before and if insufficient time is given the appointment will be classified as did not attend (DNA).

What happens if I do not attend appointments?

If you DNA two separate appointments then we will arrange to discuss your attendance with you and if there are no extenuating circumstances the team will discharge you from our service.

What happens if a therapist is unwell?

If your therapist is unwell and we are unable to keep an appointment we will ring you to cancel. If you are to be picked up by transport we will cancel this for you as well.

What if I have a hospital appointment?

If you have a hospital appointment please advise the team as soon as possible, even if it is weeks in advance. It is always helpful for us to know so we can plan your timetable.

What if I have a different appointment?

If you have a different appointment please advise the team straight away. We try to accomodate hospital appointments as these are a priority, but you may wish to consider the relative priorities of other appointments.

Can I go on holiday?

You should avoid booking holidays during your rehabilitation. If you go on holiday you may have to wait longer before starting your rehabilitation, or have a shorter episode of treatment.

Treatments

We develop a tailored plan for each patient, after detailed assessments from relevant members of the neurorehabilitation team. Working together with you and your family or carer, if applicable, we focus on achieving goals set by you to increase your functional independence within the rehabilitation period.

In addition to individual therapy we also provide group settings to enhance functional ability, and education groups to promote knowledge.

Occupational therapists

A neurological injury or condition can lead to difficulties with movement, memory, activities of daily living activities and altered perception. Occupational therapists help you perform everyday activities such as washing, dressing and eating as well as enabling you to return to your normal hobbies and leisure activities, and returning to work . Occupational therapy may include practising everyday tasks and education as well as the use of memory aids and the provision of adaptive equipment or splints to help maintain range of movement.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy help patients regain as much mobility, muscle control and co-ordination as possible. A detailed assessment will identify the way in which the movement is being disrupted, and treatment will be based on your individual needs. For maximum benefit from physiotherapy sessions, you will need to practice at home while you are with us and when you are discharged. Treatment may include specific programmes to help with posture or mobility, pain management and the provision of splints or ankle foot orthoses that may help with walking.

Speech and language therapy

A neurological injury or long-term condition can cause damage to those parts of the brain which control the ability to communicate and to swallow. A speech and language therapist will analyse the type and combination of communication and/or swallowing problems. They will work with you to improve your skills and to find ways round your difficulties. Whilst some of these resolve well with treatment and support, others are long lasting. Most, however, can be improved with specialist help and advice.

The above services are provided at our Broad Green centre, in the patient’s home or can be within the community in places such as leisure centres or on public transport.

Clinical psychology service

The clinical psychology service is available at the Broad Green centre and occasionally in patients’ homes. It aims to help people with neurological conditions to manage any problems they may be experiencing. It offers assessment, advice and developing strategies around memory, concentration and problem solving, and help with a range of emotional difficulties experienced due to your condition.

Contact Us

Croydon Community Neurorehabilitation Team
Broad Green Centre
1-13 Lodge Road
Croydon
CR0 2PD

Tel. 0208 274 6492

Mary Brooks: Team Leader, Croydon Community Neurorehabilitation Team

Jane Dundas: Stroke Co-ordinator for Stroke Services in Croydon

Frequently Asked Questions

Neurological conditions

What is stroke?

A stroke is when there is a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain, which can have an immediate effect on the body, depending on which blood vessel has been affected.

Our brains control how we function, including how we move our arms and legs, communicate, learn, think and feel. A stroke can affect one or some of these different areas.

There are two main causes of stroke:

• An ischaemic stroke (blockage) when a clot blocks an artery in the brain, or
• A haemorrhagic stroke (bleed) where a blood vessel bursts causing bleeding in the brain.

What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis affects the way the signals from the brain communicate with the spinal cord. This is due to an insulating substance, called myelin, within the nerve becoming damaged. This can occur anywhere within the central nervous system, for example brain or spinal cord. No one is completely clear why this happens but it is known that the body’s own immune system attacks the myelin causing the disruption in communication.

Multiple sclerosis may affect your balance, and cause dizziness, fatigue, and problems with vision, sensation, bladder, memory, thinking, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, mood, emotions, tremor, speech or swallowing.

What is head injury?

A head injury usually refers to trauma of the head which may have been caused by either a fall, a motor vehicle accident or an assault. Due to this impact nerve fibres and/or blood vessels may become damaged.

This type of brain injury may result in one or more of the following: muscle weakness, memory problems, fatigue, headaches, visual problems, sensation, speech, thinking and understanding, emotions or spasticity.

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease affects the way cells communicate within the area of the brain called the Basal Ganglia, which allows our body to maintain normal posture and movement. 

When these messages are interrupted it may produce difficulties with movement, posture, balance, walking, stiffness or rigidity of muscles, tremor, speech and swallowing difficulties.

What is spinal cord injury?

Spinal cord injury occurs when there has been damage to the nerve fibres within the spinal cord. This may have either been due to trauma such as sport injuries, motor vehicle accident or domestic and work related accidents. It can also occur through non-traumatic injury such as infections, tumours or cysts. 
Depending on where the level of injury is and whether the spinal cord is either completely or partially damaged will result in how much functional loss is involved. Spinal cord injury may affect your muscle strength, sensation, bladder and bowel control, muscle spasms, pain or breathing difficulties.

Other neurological conditions

Ataxia - where people have difficulties with their co-ordination. This is because the nervous system that normally controls balance and co-ordination is affected.

Brain tumour - where cells grow in an abnormal, uncontrollable way and may prevent an area of the brain from functioning properly.

Encephalitis - a rare brain inflammation caused by a virus

Guillain-Barre syndrome - an acute disease of the peripheral nervous system in which the nerves in the arms and legs become inflamed and stop working. This causes sudden weakness leading to limb paralysis, and a loss of sensation, sometimes with pain

Transverse myelitis - A neurological disorder caused by inflammation to the spinal cord.