Lincolnshire NHS launches 100 day challenge for stroke services

A new initiative has launched today, Friday, 9 August in Lincolnshire. NHS service providers, charities and the local council have come together to start to work collaboratively to improve care for stroke patients.

100 Day Challenges are intensive periods of action and collaboration that involve representatives from health, social care and voluntary organisations. Frontline practitioners and stakeholders set ambitious goals, and develop and test creative solutions in real conditions.

It will also contribute to current efforts to consolidate and build understanding across Lincolnshire around different approaches to change and transformation. Underpinning the challenge, are a set of core conditions which enable the method to catalyse lasting change and impact.

This challenge will work collaboratively with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), Lincolnshire County Council (LCC), Neighbourhood Teams, the Stroke Association and patients.

The main aim is to improve the pathway for stroke patients from hospital discharge to care at home.

Mark Brassington, Chief Operating Officer at ULHT, who is the project sponsor for the challenge said: “This is a great opportunity for health and care professionals from across Lincolnshire to come together and make a real difference for our patients.

“There are therapists, dietitians, nurses, social workers and working together to bring about positive change to improve stroke services in Lincolnshire. It’s an exciting initiative and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve.”

Stroke is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and is the third most common cause of death in the UK. The prevalence of stroke has been increasing steadily year on year and is expected to rise to 3.1% of the population of Lincolnshire by 2020.

Catherine Stamp, an Advanced Speech and Language Therapist at LCHS, who has helped plan the challenge said: “We have been planning this project for some time and it’s been great to launch it today.

“We will be working to identify ways to help ensure stroke patients are discharged as quickly as possible from hospital and how we can better support these people to live well in their communities.”

There are review days set at 25 days, 50 days and 75 days to assess how the challenge is progressing before the final evaluation after 100 days.