'It is hard, but they encourage you not to give up' - South Eastern Trust’s Community Stroke Team accoladed for helping stroke victim

Hugh Scott suffered a stroke on 29 May 2026, after an otherwise ordinary day spent visiting family, swimming and working in his garden.

The following morning, he woke with severe dizziness and collapsed when he tried to get out of bed. He was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a stroke and admitted to the stroke ward.

Reflecting on the sudden change to his life, Hugh said, “I could not believe it. I thought I was in a bad dream. When I got to the stroke ward, I could not even sit up. I had to be supported and I just lay in bed.”

Hugh began physiotherapy in hospital and gradually started to make progress.

However, returning home presented a new set of challenges. Unable to manage the stairs, he had to adapt to living downstairs and adjust to life without the immediate support of the hospital team.

It was then that the Trust’s Community Stroke Team became a vital part of his recovery, with Physiotherapist Laura Steenson, Occupational Therapist Niamh Shine and Community Stroke Nurse, Jacqueline Quinn supporting him through a programme of rehabilitation tailored to his needs.

The Community Stroke Team provides ongoing rehabilitation and support to people following a stroke, helping them regain independence and return to everyday activities in their own homes and communities.

The team includes nursing staff, Social Workers, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists and Rehabilitation Assistants.

Working together, they develop patient-centred goals and provide support that reflects the needs of both patients and their families.

The encouragement and consistency of the support from the team has made a huge difference to Hugh’s recovery.

“The Community Stroke Team provides me with continuous support and back-up,” said Hugh.

"They are only a phone call away and they encourage you to keep going and keep pursuing the exercises. It is hard, but they encourage you not to give up. Slowly but surely, I started to gain a wee bit more strength.

“My goal was to get up on my two feet and stand and I am at that stage now where I am on my feet and doing a bit of walking.

"It is all down to the Community Stroke Team, without a doubt. There are times when I would have sagged slightly and they would bring you back up.

“They are a very valuable service to have, being so close. I didn’t have to worry about not having the support of the hospital behind me.”

South Eastern Trust, Occupational Therapist, Niamh Shine explained that the Community Stroke Team works together to ensure each person receives the right rehabilitation and support for their individual circumstances.

“The aim is to reduce the amount of time people spend in hospital while maximising the rehabilitation they receive so that we can help them return to their previous level of function as much as possible,” said Niamh.

"Working with people in their own homes and communities allows us to deliver rehabilitation in a real-life environment.

"We can work alongside our patients and their families and build exercises and practical support into their everyday lives. This helps promote independence and can reduce the risk of unnecessary hospital readmission.

“We do not just provide rehabilitation. We also provide support for patients and their families throughout their recovery.

"Having a multidisciplinary team means we can draw on a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience to make sure our approach is holistic and focused on what matters most to each person.”

Niamh has supported Hugh since he returned home from hospital and has seen first-hand the progress he has made, from initially requiring additional care and assistance to now standing and beginning to walk again.

Niamh added, “Seeing Hugh regain his function has been amazing. People like him inspire me every day and are the reason we come to work.

“It is lovely to hear how much our input has meant to him and to see how far he has come.

"Every member of the team brings their own skills and expertise and by working together as a team, we can help people achieve the goals that matter to them.”