25 day mark for Lincolnshire 100 day stroke services challenge
Posted on: 18th September 2019
The Lincolnshire 100 day stroke services challenge has reached its first review, 25 days in.
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), Lincolnshire County Council (LCC), the Stroke Association and patients are working together to improve care for stroke patients during the 100 day challenge, which was launched last month.
100 day challenges are intensive periods of action and collaboration that involve representatives from health, social care and voluntary organisations. Frontline practitioners and stakeholders set ambitious goals, and develop and test creative solutions in real conditions.
Tina Bramley, Head of Clinical Services for Allied Health Professionals at LCHS said: “We are working to improve the experience for stroke patients from leaving hospital to care at home, which includes reducing the length of hospital stay, enabling them to live well in their communities.”
Teams are working on ensuring as many stroke patients as possible leave hospital on the day they are deemed medically fit for discharge, which involves strengthening links between hospital and community staff and predicting needs for support and medication to ensure it is ready in time.
Another team is aiming to find ways for all patient and carers to feel fully informed, empowered and supported throughout their stroke journey. This includes creating a patient journey handbook to explain what has happened and is likely to happen to the stroke patient as they begin their recovery.
Catherine Stamp, Advanced Speech and Language Therapist at LCHS said: “My team are helping patients to live well in their communities after surviving a stroke.
“This includes looking at developing ‘Life After Stroke’ support groups for people to come together with others who are going through a similar experience and for health care professionals to work together with the Stroke Association to advise on self-care, healthy lifestyles, independence and to give information on support services after the rehabilitation stage.
“We are also exploring how technology and stronger links between social services and health could help stroke patients to live well.”
The next reviews are at 50 days and 75 days in November to assess how the challenge is progressing before the final evaluation after 100 days in January 2020.