Stroke Task Force

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The incidence, prevalence and mortality of stroke in the North West Region is amongst the highest in the country, Liverpool and Manchester having the highest mortality rates, for the under 65s (age standardised), within the region. The North West Region have been proactive in trying to tackle this Public Health problem and have set up a North West Stroke Task Force.

Aims of the Stroke Task Force

The aim of the Stroke Task Force is to raise the profile of quality stroke care through:

Increasing the profile of stroke prevention and management within Primary Care Trusts and Acute Trusts.
Dissemination of evidence based standards for stroke management to Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Acute Trusts.
Working in areas of high mortality to try to improve prevention and management of stroke, particularly in those areas where stroke mortality rates are rising.

Chair's vision for Stroke Task Force

Professor Caroline Watkins (Stroke Task Force Chair) sees the Task Force as a tool for ensuring that stroke prevention strategies are in place, and that for people who have a stroke or transient ischaemic attack, that those people get the right care from the moment that they have an event. The realisation of this vision requires: improvements in public awareness of stroke symptoms; health and social care staff, not only knowing what must be done when and for whom, but also having in place co-ordinated systems of care. It is only by having comprehensive services and stroke specialist staff, that reductions in mortality and morbidity needed will be achieved. Staff in the independent and voluntary sectors must also have stroke specific training in order to deliver suitable aftercare.

The time is now ripe to make this possible. The NHS Plan sees older people as a high priority; there are new resources coming to the NHS; the NSF for Older People has facilitated stroke service improvements, but the impetus needs to be kept up to ensure delivery of all the targets.

The Stroke Task Force needs to use every opportunity possible in the next couple of years, to raise health planners' awareness of the improvements which can and should be made to improve stroke prevention and management in North West. The recent Acute and Primary Care Standards compiled by the Stroke Task Force is just one tool that will be utilised to raise awareness of key components of, and targets for, stroke services.

Terms of Reference

As part of a partnership between Health, Social Services, Local Authorities, Voluntary organisations and the independent sector.
To develop a shared vision and long-term strategy for Stroke services across the North West, ensuring compatibility with National Policies, Guidance and Strategy, focusing on outcomes and independence in the community.
To develop a culture within the North West that is dynamic, innovative and creative and which integrates the views and expert knowledge of service users, carers and support organisations.
To develop mechanisms that encourage the active involvement and participation of all key stakeholders to provide high quality, equitable services designed to improve the health and well being of the population.

• To offer advice and support to health and social care providers:

In the commissioning and development of Stroke services in the North West.
To develop and implement mechanisms to monitor service provision that ensures services are of an acceptable quality, based on current evidence-based practice and that are clinically safe.
To develop a coordinated and integrated approach to the provision of Stroke services.
To encourage the development of local strategies, which link into Regional Strategies.
To engender a culture of continuous improvement in service provision through active research and education, workforce development and the dissemination of good practice and to link in with other groups e.g. CHD to ensure implementation of prevention strategies.