Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme: Acute Organisational Audit 2021

The Sentinel Stoke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) has published their latest acute organisational audit report. Based on data from 182 acute stroke services across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, the report provides an overview of the organisation of acute stroke services on the census date of 1 October 2021, with comparative information on the provision of services in six domains (Workforce, Seven-day Working, Access to Specialist Treatment, Patient and Carer Engagement, TIA Services and Quality Improvement/Leadership). The report found that improvements have been made in the following areas:

• 42% of services now offer at least two types of rehabilitation therapy 7 days per week
• Up to 76% of services offer access to stroke specialist early supported discharge teams -, and
• The use of MRI as first-line imaging for TIA patients increased substantially to 49%, in line with 2019 NICE Clinical Guideline NG128.

However, the report also found a lack of progress mainly relating to workforce/staffing and specialist skills. For example, nurse staffing on stroke units has deteriorated, with significantly fewer sites meeting recommendations for senior nursing supervision of acute stroke beds (down 12% to 46%). As such, it recommends that all hospitals providing hyperacute stroke care should ensure that they are providing sufficient specialist nursing staff on their hyperacute stroke unit – at least three registered nurses per 10 beds, all of whom have received training in swallowing assessments. Patients with acute stroke should be admitted to such an appropriately staffed unit within four hours of hospital arrival. Read the full report: You can read the report by clicking on the link below. Stay-up-to-date: For notifications of future reports from HQIP, sign up to our mailing list.