Strokes: Health Services

(asked on 13th December 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate risks to stroke patients resulting from variations in the level of care for such patients.


Answered by
 Portrait
David Mowat
This question was answered on 20th December 2016

Stroke care has improved significantly over recent years and NHS England and the Department are continuing to work to further improve care. NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Stroke continues to work with clinical networks, urgent and emergency care networks, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and Sustainability and Transformation Plan areas on how stroke care is best delivered to their local communities.

NHS England is working to reduce the variation in stroke care. In particular, it is helping to improve the commissioning of stroke services by ensuring each CCG has the evidence, advice and guidance on the organisation and commissioning of stroke services which deliver good quality care and improved outcomes. The Royal College of Physicians published its National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke in October 2016 and this contains a chapter specifically on the commissioning of stroke services aimed at CCGs. NHS England will shortly be sending a copy of these guidelines to all CCGs in England. In addition, the National Clinical Director for Stroke and the clinical networks also work with CCGs to provide advice on how to improve stroke services locally.

Variations in performance are highlighted in the regular reports from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, which provides information on the quality of stroke care and outcomes including mortality. The results are returned to providers and there is good evidence that providing detailed information in a timely way is a motivation for service improvement and has enabled the quality of care to steadily improve.

However, some providers need additional help. The Royal College of Physicians, in association with the British Association of Stroke Physicians and the Stroke Association, undertakes detailed peer reviews of services. Also, the National Clinical Director for Stroke is currently planning visits to provide advice and support to a number of trusts where performance has not improved over the last three years.

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