Patients can be referred to our service by any professional. Upon receipt of the referral, we aim to meet the patient and assess them for suitability to move to the Thistle Suite.

Some of our patients may receive “in-reach” input. This happens when they are not suitable to move to the Thistle Suite in Stirling (e.g. they still require acute medical care), but are suitable to receive rehabilitation input. In such cases, the patient will remain on the ward that is most appropriate and safe for them, while the SRS team will aim to provide advice to onsite colleagues and/or offer face-to-face sessions as appropriate.

The Thistle Suite is a unit for intensive therapy, so we must make sure that patients are happy to engage in the rehab process before admission to the ward is agreed.

Please note that we only accept referrals for inpatients – individuals who are in hospital at the time of referral, not those based in the community

What Happens on Admission

On arrival, patients receive an admission pack that contains general information about the unit. They also receive a rehabilitation folder with a goal setting/‘getting to know you’ document.  Patients are asked to fill in any relevant information about their background and preferences which help direct the person-centered rehab journey. During the first two weeks, the team set realistic therapy goals with patients which are then recorded in the rehabilitation folder.

To see our referral criteria, please visit this page (Staff Only):  Specialist Rehab Referrals