Stroke Specialist Nurse Service
Stroke Specialist Nurse Service
Surrey Downs Health and Care provides nursing and therapy support for people who have had a stroke. Patients who are on a 'supported discharge' are visited by our Stroke Specialist Nurse following discharge from the acute hospital. They and their families/carers are invited to attend two, 2-hour 'Life after Stroke' workshops that provide information and advice on nutrition and diet, Psychological support, Occupational therapy support and signposting to other services within the community. Plenty of time is given to questions and discussion.
The workshops run on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, 11am to 1pm?.
Patients also receive a follow up with the stroke nurse after six months.
The Life after Stroke workshops comprise two, 2-hour sessions run by our Specialist Stroke nurse and therapists from our wider neurorehabilitation service, including a Dietitian, Psychologist, Occupational therapist and Physiotherapist.
Patients are invited to attend the workshops when the Stroke Nurse completes their initial home assessment following hospital discharge. Family, friends and carers are actively encouraged to attend. Those unable to attend are always invited again and some attend more than once, bringing different relatives or friends.
The workshops cover a variety of topics:
- Psychological and cognitive problems, depression, fatigue
- Secondary prevention (how to notice the signs and symptoms of stroke so care can be given more quickly, thus avoiding longer term affects)
- Diet and nutrition
- Driving after stroke
- Exercise and mobility after stroke
Signposting to local groups and social opportunities to reduce isolation and help people connect within local communities.
The workshops are flexible so participants can influence the agenda by focusing on topics and sharing experiences relevant to them, from continence and mobility to speech and diet.
To ensure attendees benefit and learn from others' perspectives, the nurse encourages sharing of experiences. She also invites stroke survivors who are further along their journey to attend the workshops so recent stroke patients can hear from survivors as well as health professionals.
Accessing this service
Access to the stroke service is via referral from a healthcare professional at an acute hospital or another service, following confirmed diagnosis of recent Stroke.