Access to in-patient stroke services and multidisciplinary team (MDT) rehabilitation: current demands and capacity

The objective of this project was to analyse the current access to in-patient stroke services and MDT rehabilitation in an acute stroke centre and to compare these services to the recommended "National Clinical Guidelines and Recommendations for the Care of People with Stroke and TIA" (IHF 2010). A retrospective chart review was carried out, recording activity statistics of all patients admitted with acute stroke over a three-month period. 73 patients (male = 40, 54.8%) were included. Patients were discharged from the stroke service after a mean stay of 20.2 days (SD = 19.3). 76.7% (N = 56) of patients were admitted to the acute stroke unit (ASU). The mean length of time from admission to first assessment 3.4 days (SD. = 2.68), with an average of 138 minutes of treatment received per day across all disciplines. This is compared to the IHF's recommendation of patients being assessed within 24-48 hours of admission and receiving 180 minutes of treatment across all disciplines. As demands for stroke MDT services increase, it is important to recognise the benefits of increasing staff and resources to maintain and continue to improve standards of care.