Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Stroke scientist’s new role first of its kind in Scotland
IAN BUNTING
A stroke scientist has landed a plum new role with NHS Lanarkshire as Scotland’s first Allied Health Professions (AHPs) stroke clinical academic.
Dr Lesley Scobbie, a Stroke Association clinical lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University ( GCU), will be working with community rehabilitation teams across the university’s partner health board to help stroke survivors in Monklands.
She said: “It’s about getting to the crux of what’s important to individual stroke survivors and ensuring that the rehabilitation delivered directly addresses their individual needs, preferences and priorities.
“Clinical academics can support clinical excellence and help to promote a research culture within NHS settings.
“I’ve been striving to create this post. I am very lucky that the relationship between GCU and NHS Lanarkshire created the springboard for this to happen.”
For the past three years, Dr
Scobbie has been working on her programme of research within the School of Health and Life Sciences’ Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit ( NMAHP- RU) after being awarded a prestigious five- year clinical lectureship by the Stroke Association.
As well as providing a critical clinical perspective to Dr Scobbie’s research, this new clinical academic post will further cement GCU’s partnership with NHS Lanarkshire.
Earlier this year, GCU awarded university status to NHS Lanarkshire’s clinical departments of podiatry, psychological services and stroke care at University Hospital Monklands in recognition of life- changing research, education and service excellence.
In 2017, all three of the region’s hospitals – Monklands. Hairmyres and Wishaw – were given university status by GCU and renamed.
Dr Scobbie is now working across community rehabilitation teams in NHS Lanarkshire in this first of its kind two-year funded post.
Dr Scobbie, who is also an occupational therapist, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have secured this new Stroke AHP clinical academic post.
“This is a great example of what can be achieved when working in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire.
“GCU is leading in stroke care research. In further developing links with NHS Lanarkshire, we seek to strengthen our research and to further enhance the lives of people who have had a stroke.”
Dr Scobbie, part of GCU’s Living with Stroke and Long Term conditions group led by professors Marian Brady and Frederike Van Wijck, added: “Understanding and supporting people with the longterm consequences of a stroke is a research priority.
“GCU’s stroke research programme is well placed to address these important issues.”
Katrina Brennan MBE, NHS Lanarkshire stroke MCN manager and Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme coordinator, said: “We aim to deliver effective, evidencebased rehabilitation to help stroke survivors achieve their best possible recovery.
“We believe that supporting Lesley’s stroke clinical academic post will help us to achieve this.”