Countess of Chester stroke service wins national award
A stroke rehabilitation service used by patients treated at the Countess of Chester Hospital has won a national award in London.
NeuroRehabilitation OnLine, known as NROL, received the Best Collaboration Across Clinical, Academia and Industry award at the Advancing Healthcare Awards 2026.
The service delivers rehabilitation to stroke patients across Cheshire and Merseyside through real-time, therapist-led group sessions run over Microsoft Teams.
It launched in 2024 and is available to patients treated by a number of NHS trusts in the region, including the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
NHS therapists from hospital trusts across the region deliver physical rehabilitation, cognitive therapy, talking therapies and community-based sessions through the service.
Patients take part from home, which organisers say increases the frequency and intensity of the rehabilitation they can access, while also reducing isolation through group sessions.
The service has been supported by the Stroke Quality Improvement for Rehabilitation programme, known as SQuIRe.
Amy Bastow, Project Lead for Cheshire and Mersey NROL, said the award recognised the collaboration behind the service.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this national recognition for NROL. This award reflects the strength of collaboration across our teams, partners, and the patients and carers who have helped shape the service,” she said.
“NROL is about making rehabilitation more accessible, flexible and meaningful for people in their everyday lives, and it’s fantastic to see the positive difference it is making across Cheshire and Merseyside.
“This achievement is a testament to the dedication, innovation and commitment of everyone involved,” she added.
Sue Pemberton, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing and Quality at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said the award reflected what partnership working had achieved.
“This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved and a clear demonstration of what can be achieved through strong partnership working. NROL is transforming how we deliver stroke rehabilitation, helping us to reach more patients, reduce variation in access, and provide high-quality care in a way that better fits people’s lives,” she said.
“I’m incredibly proud of the teams across Cheshire and Merseyside who have made this possible,” she added.
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