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Therapy centre to tackle 'significant unmet needs'

Tanya GuptaSouth East
News imageGetty Images A doctor examines a woman's hand and wrist in a consulting room. The doctor has a white coat and is wearing glasses and the patient is wearing a blue dress and has her hair in a pony tail. The walls are light and the room is in bright daylight, with plants hanging in pots form a rail.Getty Images
The MS charity says one in six people in the UK live with a neurological condition

A centre which has helped people with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 40 years is widening its service to include people with other conditions.

The centre in Canterbury says it wants to bring specialist therapy closer to home for more people in Kent, as many face "significant unmet needs".

Known as the Kent MS Therapy Centre for 41 years, its name has been changed to the Kent Neuro Therapy Centre. The expanded service will provide therapy for people with MS, Parkinson's disease and other conditions, and those who have had a stroke.

One man told how the centre helped him to walk across the floor of the town hall when he got married in 2024 - the equivalent of "walking down the aisle".

News imageKent Neuro Therapy Centre A physiotherapist at the centre in Kent her her hands on a patient's knees in a treatment room in a closeup photograph. The logo is visible on her uniform and her hands. There is a window behind her and equipment in the background.Kent Neuro Therapy Centre
Patients have told how the centre has improved their ability to walk

After Simon had a bleed to the brain in 2022 it was thought unlikely he would walk again.

He had hydrotherapy at the centre a year later and went on to walk 40 widths of the pool. On 30 May 2024, he walked across the floor of Fordwich Town Hall at his wedding.

Another patient, Wendy, says a year ago she could walk up and down the length of the parallel bars six times, but now, "on a good day", can manage it 60 times.

Glen said he had seen "a huge change" over four years, adding: "I've lost weight, I've gained a stronger core muscle. My arms are a lot stronger, I can now pick myself up from my wheelchair."

News imageKent Neuro Therapy Centre Two people have their hands on a bar at the centre as they have treatment to improve their walking. The close-up image shows their hands and arms and the beam is slightly blurred. There is a window in front of them with a blind and a lawn is visible.Kent Neuro Therapy Centre
The centre is investing in the future, its chief executive says

The charity says more than one-in-six people in the UK live with a neurological condition, with many needing specialist rehabilitation that can be difficult to access.

It said people who were given a diagnosis reported "significant unmet needs" in treatment and support.

Last year, the Neurological Alliance published the results of a survey that found one-in-three respondents felt care they received matched their needs

Chief executive of the centre in Canterbury, Heidi Coleman, said the charity wanted to respect its past while investing in the future, adding: "Everyone deserves access to the care, support and hope we offer."

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