Community stroke nursing service

The Community Stroke Service provides specialist care for stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or mini stroke patients, their families and carers.

The service includes specialist clinical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and management post stroke or TIA. After a stroke or TIA, you may spend some time in an acute hospital before returning to the community service for your care to continue.

What does the service provide?

The community stroke nursing service makes sure that all patients who have had a stroke or TIA (mini stroke) continue to have access to stroke assessment and appropriate care following their discharge home from hospital.

The team will: 

• monitor progress
• provide follow up and risk assessments
• recognise new symptoms related to stroke
• refer patients that need to be assessed
• continue to provide ongoing advice and support in relation to stroke and TIA

What does the stroke care co-ordinator do?

Your stroke care co-ordinator will be informed of your discharge from hospital and will contact you within 1 week. They will then arrange to see you, according to your clinical needs, either at home, or in a local clinic. You will also have a formal review after 6 months.

The stroke care co-ordinator will provide you with expert advice and support following your stroke or TIA. This will be based on a clinical and social assessment and an individualised care plan.

Support will be provided in variety of ways including:

• home visits
• telephone calls
• clinic appointments
• lifestyle advice

To promote and aid your recovery the stroke care co-ordinator will work with your GP to prevent a further stroke or TIA. This could include reviewing your medication and discussing changes with your GP. They will also work with other healthcare professionals and other organisations which are supporting you to provide them with expert advice.

Our nurse will provide you with the skills to manage your condition. This will include advice on how to reduce your risk factors for stroke. They will be a lifelong resource for you, your family and carers. They can also advise you and your carers on how to access additional support from our statutory, charity and voluntary organisations.

Act FAST

The main symptoms of a stroke of TIA can be remembered with the word FAST: Face-Arms-Speech-Time.

• Face: the face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.
• Arms: the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of arm weakness or numbness in 1 arm.
• Speech: their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all, despite appearing to be awake.
• Time: it is time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms.