As part of this celebration, the team was recently invited to the West Norfolk Life After Stroke 15-year celebration – an event which brought together stroke survivors past and present, carers, health professionals, and community partners to reflect on shared progress and the power of collaboration.
The event was attended by honoured guests including the Mayor of King’s Lynn Cllr Andy Bullen and Chris Bean, Clinical Transformation Programme Director at Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, alongside many patients and families who have been supported by the team over the years.
Organised by the Stroke Association, the celebration paid tribute to the organisations and individuals who have helped shape and sustain local stroke recovery services – and The QEH’s Community Stroke team was at the heart of those tributes.
Gemma Smith, Support Coordinator at The Stroke Association, commented: “The Community Stroke Team’s expertise, commitment and partnership working have helped stroke survivors not only survive but thrive. Their continued presence and dedication to person-centred care have made a real difference to hundreds of lives in West Norfolk over the last 15 years.”
Supporting over 360 referrals per year, The QEH Community Stroke team delivers intensive therapy and rehabilitation in patients’ own homes – offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and emotional support during a vulnerable time in people’s lives. Despite increasing demand and limited resources, the team continues to deliver personalised care, pioneering new ways of working, and advocating for patients’ long-term recovery and independence.
Their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. The team has now been shortlisted for the prestigious ‘Working Together Award’ at the 2025 Team QEH Awards, sponsored by Barnes Construction. With over 650 nominations submitted across 12 categories this year, the Community Stroke team’s inclusion as a finalist is testament to their exceptional commitment to partnership working – across organisational boundaries, sectors and systems – to improve care for stroke survivors.
The Team QEH Awards ceremony will take place on 7 October at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange.
Pippa Steet, Chief Nurse at The QEH, said: “Our Community Stroke team is a shining example of what compassionate, collaborative care looks like. Over 15 years, they’ve quietly transformed lives – walking with patients and families through recovery, advocating for better services, and always striving to do more, even in the face of real challenges.
I am incredibly proud of their work and thrilled to see them recognised in this year’s Team QEH Awards. Their dedication is helping to set the gold standard for community-based stroke rehabilitation, and it reflects the very best of our Trust’s values – being kind, fair and well.”
Despite being a small team of just 11 staff, they continue to innovate – implementing a new Community Stroke Model over the past 18 months without additional funding. This includes early discharge planning, enhanced communication with hospitals and GPs, virtual therapy sessions for rural patients, and collaboration with regional and national stroke networks. Most recently, the team piloted a Community Stroke Nurse role, which proved to be a vital asset in secondary prevention and reducing readmissions – though funding has not yet been secured to continue it.
Looking to the future, the team is eager to keep pushing boundaries. Plans are in motion to include patient representation in steering groups, and to host focus groups that bring together stroke survivors, carers, and professionals to help co-design the next phase of community stroke care in West Norfolk.
Ends. Notes to editors; For media enquiries only, please contact Communications Team, media.enquiries@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613216. For all other enquiries, please contact QEH Switchboard on 01553 613613.
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