Stroke patients in England and Wales are now facing long lists of waiting times. Since they released from hospital and start rehabilitation at home.
Without prompt and regular physiotherapy many will not recover from some of the life-changing consequences of suffering a stroke, it was claimed.
All patients receive intensive rehabilitation in hospital in the immediate aftermath of a stroke to help tackle weakness or paralysis on one side of the body or mobility problems and performing everyday activities.
But new analysis of services in England by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy found some people waiting more than four months for physiotherapy once they are home.
The CSP warned that waiting for long periods could potentially stall any progress a patient has made or even risks a deterioration in their condition.
The Stroke Association described the findings as "extremely concerning", and urged health leaders to come up with a national strategy to improve stroke care for patients.
Dominic Brand, from the charity, said: "This latest audit is extremely concerning.
"Major strides have been made in the way stroke is treated in hospital, however it is clear that far too many stroke survivors are going without the right support to begin their rehabilitation.
"Stroke survivors regularly tell us that they have had to wait weeks - and in some cases months - for the support and therapy they need to rebuild their lives.
"For too many people, their support comes too late, it stops too soon, or they don’t have access to all types of therapy they need."
Just 86 out of the 177 clinical commissioning groups offered an early supported discharge service for stroke patients, or prioritised urgent need, the CSP discovered.
Almost all stroke patients in the 86 CCGs saw a physiotherapist within three days after leaving hospital.
But many patients served by the remaining CCGs, where no such service existed or they were considered non-urgent, saw lengthy delays in accessing care.
Just 15 per cent of patients were able to access a community-based physiotherapist in less than a week.
Nearly half were seen in two to five weeks, while 19 per cent were seen in six to nine weeks.
Fifteen per cent were forced to wait 13 weeks and four per cent were seen after 18 weeks, the report found.
Every year, NHS staff across the UK treat 152,000 strokes.
Catherine Pope ofthe CSP, said: "The results of this audit are a stark reminder that too many patients are being let down once they leave hospital.
"Effective rehabilitation gives people back their independence, allowing them to return to work or simply to resume everyday activities.
"The consequences of missing out on that care can be devastating so it is essential that greater attention is paid to ensuring the excellence seen in some areas is available to all."
The figures come after broadcaster Andrew Marr told the CSP’s member magazine, Frontline, about his own physiotherapy after his stoke.
The presenter - who had a stroke in January 2013, spending two months in hospital and undergoing extensive physiotherapy to help him walk - told the magazine the amount of rehab post-hospital was "ludicrously short".
"People get a few weeks of physio when what they often need is a few years. As a society, we are good at saving people’s lives, but what we are not good at is providing care after that," he added.
An NHS England spokesman said: "NHS stroke care and stroke survival are now at record levels, and death rates from stroke are at their lowest levels ever, so the reason we have more opportunities for rehab is precisely because the quality of NHS treatment is better than ever.
"Higher survival means more need and opportunity to support people who’ve been successfully treated when they return home, and early supported discharge is now available in about 80 per cent of areas."
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