‘We are still here, we are survivors’: patients’ experiences of attending a multidisciplinary group-based support programme following subarachnoid haemorrhage

People who survive a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) often face enduring health challenges including physical disability, fatigue, cognitive impairments, psychological difficulties, and reduced quality of life. While group interventions have shown positive results in addressing similar issues in chronic conditions, the evidence involving SAH specifically is still sparse. This service evaluation aimed to explore SAH survivors’ experiences of attending a multidisciplinary group-based support programme tailored to address unmet needs identified in previous literature, with the ultimate aim to refine future iterations of the programme and improve quality of care post-SAH.
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 12 individuals who attended the programme. The resulting data were analysed thematically.
Four overarching themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Barriers to accessing support after a SAH, (2) Factors acting as enablers of recovery, (3) Sharing lived experience to support one another, (4) Feeling connected while navigating a group format.
Lack of communication, fear, loneliness, and cognitive impairments can act as barriers to engagement with support, while acceptance and adjustment, holistic multidisciplinary input, and psychological support may represent successful enablers of recovery. Implications for future iterations of the programme as well as clinical rehabilitation and service development are discussed.

A multidisciplinary group-based support programme may help rehabilitation following a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).
Factors such as lack of communication, fear, loneliness, and cognitive impairments may act as barriers to engagement, while acceptance and adjustment, holistic multidisciplinary team input, and psychological support may enable recovery.
Services may wish to monitor the effectiveness and frequency of their communication while making sure a clear pathway of support and established referral routes are in place when SAH patients are discharged from hospital.
Providing participants with written materials to use during each session as well as allowing for more time to connect with one another other may help with cognitive difficulties during group sessions.

A multidisciplinary group-based support programme may help rehabilitation following a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).
Factors such as lack of communication, fear, loneliness, and cognitive impairments may act as barriers to engagement, while acceptance and adjustment, holistic multidisciplinary team input, and psychological support may enable recovery.
Services may wish to monitor the effectiveness and frequency of their communication while making sure a clear pathway of support and established referral routes are in place when SAH patients are discharged from hospital.
Providing participants with written materials to use during each session as well as allowing for more time to connect with one another other may help with cognitive difficulties during group sessions.