Inpatient neuro-rehabilitation for
people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Information for patients from the MS Specialist Nursing Team
This leaflet outlines what will happen once you have been referred for neuro-rehabilitation and
what you can expect with regards to your inpatient stay on the East Kent Neuro-Rehabilitation Unit
(EKNRU), based on Harvey Ward at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. This leaflet is not meant to
replace the information discussed between you and your doctor, but can act as a starting point for
such a discussion or as a useful reminder of the key points.
What does EKNRU provide?
The unit provides neuro-rehabilitation for people with neurological diseases including MS,
Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and brain injury. The ward is divided into separate male and female
bays.
Due to some types of conditions cared for on this ward, there may be times during the day and
night when a patient may be noisy or disruptive and this cannot always be avoided. The staff do
their best to keep the environment as peaceful as possible but this may not always be possible.
Why have I been referred to EKNRU?
It may have been recommended that you could benefit from a period of rehabilitation due to
an MS relapse, deterioration in mobility, cognitive difficulties, spasticity management, fatigue
management, or problems with activities of daily living. The reason could be for a mixture of the
above.
The purpose of this period of rehabilitation is to help you to achieve your personal goals. It is an
active process of partnership between you and the unit staff aiming to help you to live your life as
fully as possible, minimising the impact of any physical, psychological, or social complications that
you may have.
Who are the EKNRU team?
The staff on the unit are a team of different health professionals. This is important because there
may be a variety of issues to be addressed in order to achieve a particular goal. Sometimes carers
or family members may suggest goals and an agreement will be reached by all concerned as to
how to achieve that agreed goal.
The team includes: ward manager, nurses, health care assistants, ward clerk, physiotherapists,
occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dietician, neuro-psychologist, medical
team, and volunteers.
How does the referral process work?
Once your referral has been received, it will be discussed by the multidisciplinary team. A decision
will be made as to whether the unit can meet your needs. If it is decided not to offer you a place, a
member of staff or your MS nurse will contact you to discuss this.
If it is decided that a place will be offered, you will be contacted by a member of staff or your MS
nurse to let you know and you will be placed on the waiting list.
It is important to be aware that a bed could become available at any time and so you will need to
be able to accept your place at short notice. However there can be times when beds are in short
supply and it could be a number of weeks before a place becomes available. Priority is given to
inpatients over people in the community, which can result in extended waiting times. If you are
unable to accept your place when it is offered, you will be removed from the waiting list - this is
due to the high volume of people requiring inpatient rehabilitation.
How long will I stay on EKNRU?
The period of rehabilitation offered is as an inpatient and usually for two weeks. The length of stay
can be extended if it is decided during your stay that you would benefit from this. It is possible for
you to go home for the weekend if there are no safety issues for example regarding mobility.
What should I bring with me?
Night clothes and dressing gown, slippers, wash bag, loose fitting clothes for gym work (tracksuit,
t-shirts, trainers, leggings), and small amount of money (the hospital shop is not far from the ward
and a trolley comes to ward each day with snacks and newspapers). The unit does have a nice
garden for patients to sit out in in good weather should they wish to.
Please also bring your current medication along with an up to date list including dosages.
The hospital will provide clean linen and towels.
What should I not bring with me?
It is suggested that you do not bring valuables into hospital or too many personal items. Be
advised that it is hospital policy that any electrical equipment brought in by the public has to be
PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) tested by the hospital electricians before it can be used.
What can I expect during my stay?
The nursing team will welcome you on admission and begin the assessment process. They will
ensure that any nursing needs are recognised and a care plan formulated. The nursing team can
assist with medication, wound care, nutrition, personal care, and well-being, and are supported by
a team of healthcare assistants.
Soon after admission, the medical team will assess you and your current medication.
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Inpatient neuro-rehabilitation for people with MS, September 2016
The therapy team will also make their assessments and all of this information will help to formulate
a plan of rehabilitation. Depending on your needs, you will be timetabled for a number of therapy
sessions each day, Monday to Friday. You will be given a copy of your timetable. It is your
responsibility to ensure you attend your therapy sessions.
Please note that you may not require sessions with each type of therapy during your rehabiliation,
this will be dependant on your current needs and goals.
• Physiotherapy is a health care profession concerned with human function and movement and
maximising potential. It uses physical approaches to promote, maintain, and restore physical,
psychological, and social well-being.
Physiotherapy’s value in multiple sclerosis is widely recognised. It is seen as especially helpful
in promoting activity and exercise for people with MS. Physiotherapy can be valuable for many
MS symptoms and is particularly useful for managing stiffness, balance, spasticity, and spasms.
Physiotherapy sessions can take place on the ward but are usually held in the gym, situated
close to the ward.
• Occupational therapists (often known as OTs) help people with MS in a number of ways.
The main aim of occupational therapy is to help people continue to live life as fully as possible,
despite a disability. OTs do this by making simple suggestions for changes in lifestyle, or useful
equipment and adaptations. OTs also look at ways in which to manage fatigue, including
lifestyle and pacing advice. Sessions can take place on the ward, treatment rooms, and in the
OT kitchen. OTs can also carry out home visits to assess and advise on any equipment needs
or adaptations to your home environment.
• Speech and language therapists (SLT) can help people with MS in the management of
communication or swallowing problems. Speech difficulties may include slurring or slowing of
speech, difficulty in remembering words, or concentrating on things involving words for example
reading a long newspaper article.
If you have any swallowing problems including coughing or choking whilst eating/drinking, the
speech and language therapist may carry out a swallowing assessment and advise ways to
minimise or avoid problems.
• Dieticians are therapists who can assess, diagnose, and treat diet and nutrition problems.
Dieticians devise eating plans to help manage medical conditions, promote good health through
healthy eating, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits. For people with
MS who experience swallowing problems, dieticians can suggest types of food and ways of
preparing food that makes them easier to swallow.
• A clinical neuropsychologist is skilled in assessing the pattern and severity of a person’s
cognitive impairments. They can develop individual treatment programs based on cognitive
neuropsychology, an evidence-based approach that models cognitive deficits and strengths to
optimise function.
When can my family visit me on the unit?
Visiting times for family and friends are between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. The evening meal
is served between 5pm and 6pm (this mealtime is protected from visiting to allow patients to
eat without distractions). Visiting time restarts at 6pm and finishes at 8pm. However these times
may be negotiated and we encourage a family member to visit during mealtimes if you require
assistance with feeding.
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Inpatient neuro-rehabilitation for people with MS, September 2016
What happens when I am discharged from the unit?
On discharge from the unit, referrals to other health professionals will be made as appropriate by
the unit staff. This could include district nurses, your GP, and community rehabilitation teams. Your
MS nurse will also contact you shortly after discharge to follow you up as needed. Discharge is
usually arranged for the mornings.
Contact details
East Kent Neuro rehabilitation Unit, Harvey Ward
Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road
Canterbury Kent CT1 3NG
Telephone: 01227 868713
Any complaints, comments, concerns, or compliments
If you have other concerns please talk to your doctor or nurse. Alternatively please contact our
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01227 783145 or 01227 864314,
or email [email protected]
Further patient information leaflets
In addition to this leaflet, East Kent Hospitals has a wide range of other patient information leaflets
covering conditions, services, and clinical procedures carried out by the Trust. For a full listing
please go to www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/patientinformation or contact a member of staff.
After reading this information, do you have any further questions or comments? If so,
please list them and bring to the attention of your nurse or consultant.
Would you like the information in this leaflet in another format or language?
We value equality of access to our information and services and
are therefore happy to provide the information in this leaflet in
Braille, large print, or audio - upon request.
If you would like a copy of this document in your language, please contact the ward or department
responsible for your care.
Ak by ste chceli kópiu tohto dokumentu vo vašom jazyku, prosím skontaktujte nemocničné
pracovisko, alebo oddelenie zodpovedné za starostlivosť o vás.
Pokud byste měli zájem o kopii tohoto dokumentu ve svém jazyce, kontaktujte prosím oddělení
odpovídající za Vaši péči.
Чтобы получить копию этого документа на вашем родном языке, пожалуйста обратитесь в
отделение, ответственное за ваше лечение.
We have allocated parking spaces for disabled people, automatic doors, induction loops, and can
provide interpretation. For assistance, please contact a member of staff.
This leaflet has been produced with and for patients
Information produced by the MS Specialist Nursing Team
Date reviewed: September 2016
Next review date: January 2019
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