Rehabilitation specialist consultant Dr Diba Shariat has immersed herself in education and training in rehabilitation medicine. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team of doctors, nurses, therapists and other healthcare professionals, Dr Shariat is instrumental in devising treatment programmes and treatment plans for patients with complex neurological needs.

She was inspired to pursue a career in rehabilitation because she could see a real value in enablement, in developing treatment programmes with patients that was in line with their goals and truly led by the patient themselves.

Dr Shariat started her career in stroke rehabilitation. She found that there were wider challenges facing rehabilitation of patients and service users in the UK because rehabilitation was not necessarily built in to the care pathway - and sees great opportunity in making a difference for patients and for the wider UK approach to rehabilitation. She said that the more recent events with COVID-19, in which people's rehabilitation needs are becoming more obvious, have led to a greater focus on the recovery and re-enablement stages of an illness or condition - but also a greater realisation among the public and general health services that there has been and remains a gap between need and services.

“The true value of rehabilitation services were brought up to light during the COVID-19 pandemic as specialist rehabilitation services were utilised beyond and above its usual practice and accommodated patients in need of complex care and specialist rehabilitation to reduce pressure off acute Trusts,” she said. “This was due to multidisciplinary staff who are skilled in providing care in vast areas including acute medical care and physical, psychological and emotional support to severely impaired patients.” 

She said that she was drawn to Circle Rehabilitation because of the fresh approach offered: "I was fascinated with the new technology Circle brings to the West Midlands - the traditional way and the personal rehabilitation is there, but Circle brings more than that. Circle brings more technology than in available in mainstream rehabilitation services.

"I see rehabilitation services in the community and in the West Midlands, but islands of rehabilitation. I think Circle's role is, in part, to bring this together, standardise the approach and fill the gaps.

"We all share the same goal - we want people to be the best they can be and to work towards their agreed outcomes. The staff here are so fresh and enthusiastic, all ready for a fresh start - everyone working towards a common goal is brilliant. You can see the attitude and enthusiasm as soon as you see the team."

• Neurorehabilitation in particular patients with complex rehabilitation needs  
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Traumatic brain injury
• Poly-trauma Rehabilitation 
• Spasticity management including Botulinum Toxin injection 
• Management of drooling in adults with neurological conditions such as Parkinson disease

Dr Shariat is a doctor and a specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine within Circle Rehabilitation in Birmingham, overseeing neurological treatment plans for patients and service users. These can range from intensive rehabilitation in a hospital inpatient setting through to continuing rehabilitation in a supported living scheme to returning home.

Dr Shariat is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) and holds a CCT - a Certificate of Completion of Training - in Rehabilitation Medicine.

She is a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, a Clinical Lead in Inpatient Neuro-rehabilitation Unit in the NHS, a Consultant in Hyper-acute/acute Rehabilitation and Poly-trauma Rehabilitation, as well as Neurorehabilitation.

This means she is highly skilled in all areas of neurology rehabilitation - including helping people who have an acquired brain injury, who have undergone multiple trauma incidents, who are recovering from a stroke or neurosurgery, who have multiple complex needs and more.

Her role in Circle Rehabilitation is to provide medical leadership to the multi-disciplinary team, in addition to her role as a physician. Her approach is based on evidence-based principles of rehabilitation medicine outlined in British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, enhanced thanks to the advantage of the new technologies at Circle Rehabilitation.

• Consultant Physician in Neurological Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Lead in Neuro-Rehabilitation (Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust)
• Consultant in Trauma Rehabilitation (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)
• Member of British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine

Dr Shariat is Clinical Lead and Consultant in Specialist Neurorehabilitation at the Inpatient Neuro-rehabilitation Unit (INRU) at Mosley Hall Hospital in Birmingham, an NHS England level-1 specialised rehabilitation service.As Clinical Lead in INRU, she provides medical leadership to the team of specialists in addition to her role as a Consultant Physician in Rehabilitation Medicine. INRU is a UK national level 1 accredited facility offering own person-centred support plan and patient focussed Neurorehabilitation services to communities across the West Midlands region. INRU provides highly specialist care for adults with neurological conditions caused by acquired brain injuries due to trauma or stroke and other neuro-disabling conditions. The service is designed to ‘assist the patient to achieve maximum independence and quality of life’ and to provide a comprehensive assessment to identify their future needs.

Dr Shariat is a Consultant in Hyper Acute/ Acute Rehabilitation Medicine at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. She provides specialist Neurorehabilitation input covering patients with complex rehabilitation needs in diverse setting including Stroke Rehabilitation, Traumatic brain injury services, Poly-trauma Rehabilitation, Spinal cord injury Rehabilitation.

In outpatient service, Dr Shariat has a special interest in Spasticity management including Botulinum Toxin injections and Chemodenervation for limb spasticity. She also has interest in the management of drooling in adults with neurological conditions and runs a Salivary Management Clinic at University Hospitals Birmingham.

Dr Shariat is an Educational and Clinical Supervisor of Specialist Trainees and General Practitioner trainees. She has regularly contributed to teaching medical students and running workshops such as Ultrasound Guided Botulinum Toxin Injection.

She has a particular interest in quality improvement projects in the healthcare system and regularly teaches Quality Improvement Project to healthcare professionals. She has presented her contribution at national and international conferences and events including the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD)

• General Medical Council, London
• British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, London
• Royal College of Medicine, London
• Medical Defence Union, London