Stroke HIT achievements 2021-22

The last year has been particularly significant for Stroke Services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) with the new care pathway being approved.As a HIT we have played an integral role in improving stroke services for people in the region. Our directors and public contributors progressed the Stroke Care Pathway Reconfiguration through its first stages of scrutiny, prepared the Pre-Consultation Business Case, and went through the public consultation, which in February 2022 saw the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) agree recommendations to reorganise and improve the area’s stroke services. The HIT will continue to be involved with roll out in Autumn 2022, including working closely with the CCG to identify which key outcomes should be measured when evaluating the new care pathway. We are particularly proud of how our Service User Group have worked in partnership with clinicians and operational colleagues to ensure that the changes in services will benefit people who have had a stroke, as well as their families and carers. People with lived experience helped design the public consultation materials to ensure that documents were accessible and reflected the needs of the stroke community and others with communication difficulties. They contributed more than 100 hours of their time advising the CCG via our Stroke Service User Group. Read our public contributors’ blog. In March 2022 we worked with North Bristol NHS Trust to plan and run the One Stroke Workforce Conference – the first face-to- face event for more than two years. It brought together over 100 colleagues who will be working under the new stroke pathway and their feedback has shown an appetite for more sessions like this in the future. The Life After Stroke monthly information sessions for patients, carers, friends, family and health care professionals have become a popular fixture. Hosted by Bristol After Stroke, they attract strong audiences. Our involvement in service innovation and research continues to increase. Recent funding calls from the Small Business Research Initiative and NHSX have led to a flurry of further discussions with companies about potential collaborations. We are now recruiting more public contributors to advise on and be involved in innovative new projects. Finally, we say goodbye and huge thanks to Bristol Health Partners Senior Project Manager Jan Connett, who has worked with us as a HIT for the last five years. Good luck in your new adventures!