Rehabilitation Excellence in the UK examples of excellent multi-disciplinary rehabilitation services in the NHS, most people do not have timely access to the care that they need. This exacerbates health inequalities and is unjust. The research in this Collection (which includes a number of NIHR Alerts, accessible summaries of evidence) shows that more needs to be done to improve access and outcomes for the most vulnerable patients.

A Cut Above: What Sets Premier Rehabilitation Facilities Apart in the UK

The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) will bring together world class rehabilitation research, innovation, education and training with clinical practice, transforming how people recover and regain fitness and function after serious injury or illness. It will be built on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough and be co-located with the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, allowing collaboration between the two sites to enable the sharing of expertise, a faster rate of innovation, and better patient outcomes.

It is a new, 70-bed NHS facility that will be a centre of excellence, transforming how people recover and regain function after serious injury or illness. It will also be a centre for research, innovation and training in rehabilitation, working with NHS hospitals across the country.

It will be a green, low carbon building that uses recycled materials and ‘loaned’ equipment to reduce its embodied carbon. It will use a building management system to track energy usage, and is designed to make the most of natural daylight. In addition, it will be the first building in the country to include a rehabilitation specific Foundation Degree apprenticeship, commissioned by Birmingham City University, as a key part of its skills escalator.