The new Quality Statement for Stroke, which sets out the future vision for stroke services in Wales, has been developed with the Stroke Implementation Group, which provides guidance to the government, and key stakeholders including the Stroke Association in Wales.
It outlines how services will change to improve the quality of care and reduce variations in care across Wales. For example by investing in artificial intelligence we can help support stroke diagnosis, thereby improving patient care, and producing better outcomes.
The next steps will be to create a delivery plan which will be overseen by Dr Shakeel Ahmad, Wales’ national clinical lead for stroke, and carried out by the National Stroke Programme Board.
Dr Ahmad will also be supporting health boards to develop a network of comprehensive stroke centres that work across boundaries to improve care from acute treatment to rehabilitation.
Working with relevant organisations and groups is a strong focus of the new plan to address areas such as public health, prevention, rehabilitation, care for those who are critically ill or at end of life as well as collaboration with other conditions such as cardiovascular, neurological and diabetes.