Development and evaluation of an interdisciplinary training programme for stroke

Introduction: The coordinated, specialized care given in stroke units has been shown repeatedly to improve outcomes for patients ( Royal College of Physicians, 2010 ). Collaborative working within the multidisciplinary team is integral to the good results achieved by such units. Healthcare for London has reorganized stroke care in London to include 8 fully functioning hyperacute units and 24 subacute units providing care for stroke patients. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has been designated a hyperacute unit for northwest London and the staff received specialist training to provide the highest possible care for this patient population. Methods: A team of professionals with expertize in stroke care developed a training programme aimed at all health professionals. The goal is for specialists from all members of the stroke team to teach each professional involved in stroke patient care using a framework of interprofessional education (IPE). The 3-day course includes all aspects of stroke patient care from acute physiological monitoring to continence, physical rehabilitation and end-of-life care. Results: To date, seven courses have been run with excellent feedback from all multi-professional members attending. The teaching team meet after each course to evaluate the feedback forms and amend the course as appropriate. The evaluation allows the attendee to rate the session as excellent, good, fair or poor. Conclusions: Collaborative interdisciplinary working is essential to excellent stroke care provision. The stroke training course at Imperial College Healthcare Trust is attempting to ensure collaborative working starts with collaborative training and hope that those who learn together can grow together and become the best possible team, to ensure the best outcomes for stroke patients.