Effect of Technology Enriched Rehabilitation After Stroke (EFTERS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Pilot Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Economic Impact of a Multi-Technology Rehabilitation Programme for Sub-acute Stroke Patients
IRAS ID
359369
Contact name
Andrew Kerr
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 2 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study builds on a successful earlier project that tested how combining rehabilitation technologies could support stroke recovery. That initial research showed the approach was safe and acceptable to both patients and clinical staff. Now, we aim to find out whether it actually improves mobility and offers good value for NHS resources.
We will invite stroke patients staying in the stroke unit at University Hospital Wishaw to take part. These patients will be in the early stages of recovery and medically stable. Alongside their usual care, they’ll be supported by NHS staff to use a dedicated rehabilitation space on the ward equipped with a range of technologies.
This space includes treadmills, virtual reality games, tablets, and power-assisted exercise machines designed to support arm and leg movement. While these tools are already available for stroke rehabilitation, they are not widely used together in NHS hospitals. Our goal is to help patients work on movement, thinking, vision, speech, and everyday tasks in a more engaging and intensive way.
We’ll measure how well patients recover physically, how often they use the equipment, and whether they experience any issues. To compare outcomes, we’ll use anonymised NHS data to create a “virtual control group” of similar patients in NHS Lanarkshire who receive standard care.
Ultimately, this study aims to show whether using technology in stroke rehabilitation can improve recovery and be a smart use of NHS resources. If successful, it could help shape future stroke care across the UK.REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
26/WS/0008
Date of REC Opinion
23 Feb 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion