Rehabilitation

Stroke rehabilitation research in the United Kingdom is at the forefront of the developing evidence base for best clinical practice.

Historically, rehabilitation research has been a single centre activity with subsequent limited generalisability. Much of rehabilitation research is still at pre-clinical and phase 1 level and it is therefore essential that all rehabilitation evaluations are based on the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions (MRC, 2000). Current research capacity and capability levels in the stroke rehabilitation community also need to be built upon.

The Stroke Research Network has identified rehabilitation research as one of the key areas for future development. The Rehabilitation Clinical Study Group brings together individuals with the necessary expertise and enthusiasm to ensure that all potential opportunities for further development of the evidence base are fully exploited. The Clinical Study Group will develop and oversee a portfolio of rehabilitation studies, identify gaps in the evidence base and assist in the development of new trials and other well-designed rehabilitation studies.