National Clinical Guideline for Stroke for the United Kingdom and Ireland: Part I – An overview of the updated recommendations

Abstract

The National Clinical Guideline for Stroke 2023 (Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party, 2023) marks a new ambition for stroke rehabilitation. Launched in April 2023, they propose a raft of recommendations that will transform occupational therapy provided to people with stroke and their families. It should be noted that the guidelines are a ‘partial’ update with some sections being out of scope for update, in which case the 2016 recommendations are carried forward. At the guidelines launch, two stroke survivors presented the plain language summary [https://www.stroke guideline.org/plainlanguagesummary/] and highlighted the importance of using this accessible educational tool with stroke survivors and their families to inform them of what they can expect along the pathway. Over the next two editions of The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, we will firstly present the new recommendations most pertinent to occupational therapists and secondly explore the opportunities and challenges these recommendations present for occupational therapy practice across the stroke pathway.