Critical care may save our lives, but we need support and rehabilitation to give those lives back to us

#MyRehabGoals for #ICURehabDay25

We set up our #RehabIsCritical campaign in 2021 to highlight that people urgently need help to make their best recovery after critical illness. Recovery can take up to 18 months and sometimes longer and people need support and rehabilitation to enable them to thrive after critical illness, not just survive.

Goal setting is crucial in rehabilitation because it provides direction, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment, ultimately enhancing a person's engagement and progress in their recovery journey. By setting clear, achievable goals, individuals can focus their efforts, track their progress, and build confidence in their recovery journey.

A recent report by NCEPOD on Rehabilitation following Critical Illness highlights the challenges that people can face after critical illness, and one of the opportunities highlighted in the report was the value and importance of goal setting to help support recovery.

So to mark #ICURehabDay25 this year, we are launching the #MyRehabGoals campaign to coincide with the Women's EURO football tournament from the 2nd to 27th July.

Read on to see how you can get involved

NCEPOD: Rehabilition following
Critical Illness

NCEPOD's report “Rehabilitation following Critical Illness” (June 2025) provides vital insights and recommendations to improve patient recovery after critical care. The report highlights the challenges faced by patients, the importance of structured rehabilitation, and practical steps for healthcare teams to enhance outcomes.

How to use this resource:

  • Download and review the report to understand key findings and recommendations.
  • Share the report with your colleagues and multidisciplinary teams to raise awareness of best practices in post-ICU rehabilitation.
  • If you plan to undertake an audit or QI project based on this report, please inform your local audit/QI department. This ensures your Trust/Board can support, endorse, and record your improvement activities.

We welcome your feedback and experiences using these tools. Please contact us at info@ncepod.org.uk.

ncepod.org.uk

How can you get involved?

Here are some ideas how ICU professionals can integrate the #MyRehabGoals into your department:

  • Download our fully editable #MyRehabGoal Template sheets for your patients
  • Share your patient reaching their rehabilitation goal with your team or online on @icusteps
  • Order your inflatable footballs for your patients and team by emailing teamrehablegend@gmail.com
  • Mark the brilliance of outstanding team members or patients
  • Share images of football related activity in your department

Here are some ideas how you can integrate the #MyRehabGoals into your recovery

  • Share your Rehabilitation goal with family or loved ones
  • Download our #MyRehabGoal Template sheet and use it to mark your achievements

We love seeing photos or hearing your stories of your rehabilitation goals. Share them with us by emailing Your Rehab Goals.

Resources

Download the #MyRehabGoal Template to use and adapt however works for you and your patients.

We are proud to be members of:

  • the National Post-Intensive Care Rehabilitation Collaborative, hosted by the Intensive Care Society, and
  • the Community Rehabilitation Alliance, co-chaired by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. The CRA is an alliance of over 50 charities and professional bodies who are all committed to improving commissioning, planning and delivery of rehabilitation.

Our Rehab Campaign is supported by: