The National Clinical Guidelines for
Stroke (Intercollegiate Stroke Working
Party, 2012) recommend that stroke
patients have access to orthotic intervention
within 5 days of admission; however,
in 2014, the national stroke audit
showed that only 86% of hospitals were
complying with this recommendation
(Royal College of Physicians, 2010).
Moreover, NICE (2013) clinical
guidelines on stroke rehabilitation
recommend that patients have access to
orthotic treatment in an inpatient setting.
These guidelines have further
recommendations for the use of lower
and upper limb orthotic management.
It is important that patients are
assessed quickly as inpatients by an
orthotist, as the first few days following
stroke are critical to prevent contractures
and to decrease rehabilitation time.