Information, advice and learning as part of rehabilitation

People have the right to be involved in discussions and make informed decisions about their care, as described in NICE's information on making decisions about your care.

Making decisions using NICE guidelines explains how we use words to show the strength (or certainty) of our recommendations, and has information about prescribing medicines (including off-label use), professional guidelines, standards and laws (including on consent and mental capacity), and safeguarding.

Health, mental health and social care practitioners should follow our general guidelines for people delivering care:

1.12 Information, advice and learning as part of rehabilitation

1.12.1

Give personalised information to people with a chronic neurological disorder, and their family or carers, if appropriate, about:

their condition and rehabilitation needs, including any anticipated future needs
how to access rehabilitation services and social care
how to get advice about work and education, housing, benefits and legal support
voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations that can provide further information and support.

1.12.2

For people with a functional neurological disorder offer information and psychoeducation that:

reinforce a biopsychosocial approach to managing their disorder
support an acceptance of the diagnosis
validate the presence and impact of symptoms while using language and approaches that redirect attention away from them
avoid reinforcing beliefs that there is structural damage or disease to the nervous system
focus on the potential for recovery.

1.12.3

Explain what financial support is available to assist with rehabilitation related to activities of daily living, travel, and social and leisure activities, for example, travel support, provision of wheelchairs and personal assistance via personal budgets and direct payments.

1.12.4

Explain to the person or their advocate that they can request an assessment of care and support needs from their local authority.

1.12.5

Continue to offer personalised information and advice when the person's rehabilitation needs or circumstances change, for example, at discharge from hospital or rehabilitation services, at different life stages or as their condition progresses.

1.12.6

Consider combining and coordinating delivery of different education and training interventions led by different rehabilitation practitioners to help the person, their family and carers, as appropriate, embed learning. For example, teaching cognitive memory strategies alongside use of aids for independent living.

1.12.7

Help the person decide what and how to communicate to others about their condition and rehabilitation needs. Think about:

the use of a health or disability passport
information to share with people working in services the person needs to access (especially when adjustments to services are required)
information to share socially with others.

For a short explanation of why the committee made these recommendations and how they might affect practice, see the rationale and impact section on information, advice and learning as part of rehabilitation.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: rehabilitation delivery, evidence review B: identification and referral and evidence review K: access to support for education, employment and social participation.