Hundreds of stroke survivors across North Yorkshire are benefiting from an online rehabilitation programme which is helping patients recover at home while saving thousands of pounds in travel costs.
The Neuro Rehab Online (NROL) programme, delivered by the early supported discharge stroke team at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, provides six weeks of virtual therapy, education and support for people recovering from a stroke.
Since its launch in November 2025, more than 213 patients have benefited from the service, with 96 per cent achieving their personalised rehabilitation goals.
The same proportion reported an improvement in their quality of life, while 94 per cent said their fatigue had improved.
The programme has delivered 1,522 hours of therapy and saved an estimated 31,120 miles of travel, £18,361 in travel expenses and 1,150 hours of clinicians’ travelling time.
The service is particularly valuable in rural North Yorkshire, where patients can face long journeys to attend hospital appointments.
Online sessions complement face-to-face treatment, allowing patients to access more intensive rehabilitation and additional support without repeatedly travelling to hospital.
The programme covers physical activity, fatigue management, communication, emotional wellbeing and self-management.
It also gives stroke survivors the opportunity to meet others with similar experiences, helping reduce isolation and build confidence.
Among those to benefit is Tim Grimshaw, 66, from Thornton Watlass, near Bedale, who suffered a stroke in March 2026.
After leaving hospital, he was referred to the early supported discharge team and enrolled on the six-week programme.
He said: “I enjoyed the fact that you could do the exercises in your own home and could do less or more depending on how you were feeling.
“The sessions were very informative without being too arduous. I felt that I built up better movement and strength over the course.
“I would recommend the course to any stroke survivors because it is a brilliant way to increase your mobility from the comfort of your own home.”
Stephanie Verity, speech and language therapist and therapy lead, said the programme had helped the small Hambleton and Richmondshire stroke team support patients across a large geographical area.
She said: “With our virtual groups and then the NROL programme, we have been able to provide a higher intensity of therapy and longer length of support beyond our six-week service.”
She stressed that alternative support remained available for patients uncomfortable with online therapy.
The team is also working with FURBD, a charity which provides donated technology and internet connectivity to people who might otherwise struggle to access digital services.
Ms Verity added: “Our aim is to ensure people can access high-quality stroke rehabilitation regardless of where they live and NROL is helping our patients achieve their recovery goals.”
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