AN INTERACTIVE therapy suite to help stroke patients’ recovery has been opened.

The state-of-the-art unit at the Independent Living Centre on Severalls Business Park, Colchester, is the first of its kind in East Anglia.

Run by Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE), which runs NHS community healthcare in north-east Essex, the centre was made possible thanks to a grant from the Colchester Catalyst charity.

The suite uses newly-released computer software to supplement existing speech therapy.

Speech and language therapist Tom Butler said: “This suite has the potential to make a huge difference to people recovering from a stroke or people with other communication issues.

The suite is currently only available to patients with an ACE speech therapist but the team is looking at possibly opening up the suite to people not under its care.

For more information about the suite call 01206 518525 .