Top grading for specialist stroke care team

SPECIALISED stroke services at Leicester’s Hospitals have been praised by official watchdogs.

During a review as part of the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), the acute stroke multidisciplinary team received an ‘A’ grade for the care provided to patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary between April and July.

Based on wards 25 and 26 at the LRI, the team is made up of consultants, junior doctors, rapid-response and ward-based nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, all supported by a small data team.

All hospitals in the UK (except Scotland) must submit a full set of information for each stroke patient who has been admitted outlining the quality of care received.

This includes details such as the length of time between arriving at the emergency department and seeing a stroke specialist, waiting time for a brain scan, transfer time to the stroke unit and administration of clot-busting treatment given and how quickly.

Other factors, such as mood assessment, physiotherapy and carer involvement in discharge planning is also included.

A huge amount of data is submitted for the audit for around 300 Uni- versity Hospitals of Leicester patients every four months.

Dr David Eveson, consultant in stroke medicine at LRI, said: “Not that long ago our national audit grade was a D. Over the last 24 months or so we have put processes in place to improve all these metrics, gradually improving to a C, then B, again a B and now an A.

“Everyone has worked hard to improve and streamline their assessment processes.

“We have employed additional rehabilitation support workers and everyone has looked their pathways and what they can do differently. It’s a good story of continuous improvement.”