29 October 2025
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a new guideline for rehabilitation services in people with long term neurological conditions. This document aims to improve and standardise access to rehabilitation and improve outcomes.
Rehabilitation involves targeted, evidence-based therapies that help improve aspects of life like mobility, thinking or swallowing. It can help people to live as independently as possible.
You can read more in our A-Z on rehabilitation in MS.
The guideline highlights the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach that should be offered early to people who may benefit. Rehabilitation could involve specialists in physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive therapies, as well as psychological support and vocational counselling.
The document sets out the care you should expect to receive. However, it may take time for local and regional services to build enough capacity to be able to offer rehabilitation in the way outlined in the new NICE guidelines.
The NICE committee want this guideline to make a difference to people with rehabilitation needs for a chronic neurological disorder by making sure that:
The authors recommend that, for people with the most complicated needs, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England should appoint a complex case manager to be a single point of contact to coordinate rehabilitation across NHS services, social care, and the voluntary sector. The hope is that this will prevent delays and make the rehabilitation journey more straightforward for people affected.
NICE also recommend better referral pathways, including the option to revisit referral to rehabilitation if a person’s needs change. It also calls for better communication between different health professionals and clearer information for patients and carers about how to access rehabilitation services locally.
The NICE guideline marks a positive step forward in improving rehabilitation for people with long-term neurological conditions.
People with lived experience of neurological conditions took part in this NICE committee process to ensure that the voices of affected people were heard. From the MS Trust community, MS Trust Volunteer Yvonne Pettigrew took part. Here's how she felt about being involved in this NICE committee:
It was an absolute privilege working on this rehabilitation guideline. The wisdom and insights from committee members made it all about people and improving their experiences and outcomes. All the professionals on the committee were service user focused, which made it easy to share insights from lived experience and have them incorporated into the recommendations. I always felt a valued and valuable committee member of equal standing with others.
Yvonne highlighted two key recommendations that she felt would be most beneficial; the single point of contact and the recommendation to provide co-ordinated rehabilitation to make the most of everyone's abilities.
Although I worked in the NHS, I've still found navigating my way through the services I've needed for my MS really challenging. I expect the recommendation to always have a named person or single point of contact to be of great benefit to each service user. This person may be called a 'key contact', 'key worker' or 'complex case manager' and will act as a safety net for everyone.
Having a single guideline should help GPs and other health and social care practitioners recognise and understand the rehabilitation needs of people with neurological conditions. This should help join the services up and help health professionals understand when and how to refer to rehabilitation specialists.
If you think you could benefit from support with rehabilitation in some area of your life, speak to your MS team first. They may be able to advise you on the services available locally and how to be referred.
I do not underestimate the challenges that implementing this guidance poses. My hope is that commissioners and service providers will use the recommendations as a template to shape the integrated and more easily accessible services that people with neurological disorders need.
Yvonne Pettigrew, Person with MS and NICE Committee member
Rehabilitation A-Z: Our information page on rehab in MS
Can balance rehabilitation in MS improve stability? : A research update in balance rehabilitation
Brain training: a cognitive rehabilitation programme evaluated : A research update on cognitive rehabilitation
Health professionals involved in the management of MS : Who does what? Which health professionals are involved in MS treatment and therapies?
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