#STROKE 2050 – my thoughts

@kate_hayward_ asked some great questions today on Twitter

What does #stroke look like in #2050 for you?

#Nobudget #Nolimits

What do you want to see achieved?

What would be a game changer?

In #2050 I’d like to see preventing, treating, & providing comprehensive life-long rehabilitation & support for stroke survivors a National Priority
In #2050 I’d like to see #stroke separated from #cardiovascular disease in health policy & planning. Being combined masks stroke’s neurological complexity & denies it focus & funding a thread

I’d like to see Australia adopt BEFAST instead of FAST as an acronym to recognise stroke, currently FAST results in misdiagnosis of #youngstrokes & some ischaemic strokes

In #2050 I’d like to see ambulance paramedics, emergency physicians, doctors & nurses trained more intensively on diagnosis of stroke

I’d like stroke survivors to be routinely engaged in the education of health professionals

I’d like to see stroke survivors working as partners with other researchers on stroke research, implementation projects, evaluation of treatments & programs.

I’d like to see improvements in medical record documentation that lead to mistakes, misdiagnosis, attribution errors, or delay treatment & service provision to stroke survivors & reduce organisational capacity to provide integrated & multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary care to stroke survivors.

I’d like every Australian that has a stroke have an assessment for rehabilitation unless they are receiving palliative care.

I would like to see the use of specific assessment & care-planning processes for Australians who suffer a stroke in residential aged care, or who are looking to be transferred to residential aged care post discharge, to ensure that they receive the rehabilitation they need to improve their quality of life in residential care.

I’d like every Australian that has a stroke to have optimal planned rehabilitation based on their needs & capabilities that is more than one hour per day.

I’d like to see a systems approach to stroke care & recovery with roles & responsibilities for: GPs; Community based multi-disciplinary primary health care; community based social & mental health support; care coordination or navigation; ongoing carer support; individualised Return to work / life programs; financial planning & support; organised & supported peer support groups; Peer workers in rehabilitation & health care.

In #2050 I’d like to see the State Based Stroke Associations & the national Stroke Foundation working collaboratively & effectively together, linking clinical research, support programs, support groups & advocacy for stroke survivors.

I’d like to see an expert National Population Health Promotion organisation working to reduce the incidence of all ‘lifestyle’ sic diseases & conditions in Australia & succeeding, in partnership with all States & Territory governments, major players & based on thorough knowledge of what works & what doesn’t.

I’d like every Australian who suffers a stroke (& their carer, family) to feel confident that they are receiving or have received the best, person centred, evidence informed care, support, & rehabilitation available, whether they live in a capital city, regional area, or isolated & remote location.

I’d like to know that when mistakes are made, or misdiagnosis occurs that health services were willing to take responsibility for them & use these occurrences as a way of improving stroke services for future patients.

I’d like to see the application of Negligence law to reflect on & result in improvement in health systems, health care & health care documentation.

In #2050 I would like to see purpose-built rehabilitation facilities across the country. These facilities & programs would be properly funded; staffed by a range of health professionals & support workers working in an interdisciplinary model; working in partnership with stroke survivors, their carers & families to provide evidence-informed & individualised neurological rehabilitation to stroke survivors.