Stroke

What is the programme and its aims

We support the administration of a stroke clinical advisory group in order to oversee and provide directional guidance for the clinical area. Included in the terms of reference for the group are the following commitments:

  • Clinically and managerially oversee the development and delivery of stroke specific network strategies focusing on achieving maximum health gain/benefit for the East Midlands’ population
  • Facilitate the delivery of consistent, high quality care in line with national guidance with an emphasis on ensuring equitable provision of services and a seamless transition in care across the whole patient journey
  • Ensure the network’s activities focus on quality and productivity
  • Oversee the development of clinical pathways and models of care for recommendation to commissioners (NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups), for implementation at local level.
  • Recommend clinical policies and procedures for endorsement for use across the East Midlands
  • Promote and ensure consistency of participation with and data entry to the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP).
  • Review SSNAP results and local work plans for continuous quality improvement across all domains of care
  • Advise the network area’s health community on clinical issues relating to stroke care
  • Foster a culture of clinical leadership and patient/public engagement in the development and assurance of stroke service provision

Why is the programme required

Stroke care is provided across multiple organisations including the ambulance service, acute hospitals, community teams and the voluntary sector as well as GPs and primary care. The provision of care for stroke survivors in the East Midlands is variable.

Stroke care is closely monitored and reported by the Royal College of Physicians through the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP).

The Stroke Clinical Advisory Group monitors regional performance to SSNAP measures, identifying areas for improvement and sharing good practice.

Who are the partners

  • Heads of service and stroke clinical lead from each acute provider
  • East Midlands stroke nursing forum
  • Therapy/rehabilitation services – both acute and community based
  • Stroke Association – both as a provider organisation and a conduit to and representative of patient and public opinion
  • East Midlands Ambulance Service
  • East Midlands Academic Health Science Network

How are we making a difference

Stroke review

We are reviewing the SSNAP Organisational Audit returns to identify gaps in service provision and will support Sustainability Transformation Planning communities to identify appropriate solutions to address them.

Mechanical thrombectomy

The East Midlands Stroke Clinical Advisory Group has formed a task and finish group to develop agreed imaging protocols to facilitate the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy and to develop options and make a recommendation for the preferred model for delivery of a mechanical thrombectomy pathway for patients in the East Midlands. The work of the group will be completed within the context of pending NICE guidelines, commissioning guidance and will draw on clinical expertise from a range of sources including, but not limited to, published evidence in stroke medicine, interventional neuroradiology, and neuroradiology, and groups developing or piloting pathways elsewhere in the UK and internationally.

What’s next

The stroke clinical advisory group continues to meet monthly.

The stroke review will inform the development of a work programme for 2016/17.

What are the key resources

Guide for the configuration of stroke services

The Stroke Toolkit was funded by the NHS England. It contain a wealth of information for anyone who wants to redesign their stroke services (and indeed much information that that will be of use to other disease areas as well). The ideas is that people do not have to start from scratch; all the standards and process will be similar wherever you are working.  View the extensive appendices to this document.

Who to contact for further information

Martin Cassidy, Head of Network