SIGN 118 Management of patients with stroke has been published today Tuesday 1st June. The full guideline and quick reference guide in PDF format is attached but can also be viewed through the following link http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/118/index.html.  A full summary of the recommendations in Word format will also be available on the website shortly.

These documents are currently being issued to health care professionals throughout Scotland. This national guideline provides recommendations on:

• organisation of stroke services
• management and prevention strategies for common impairments and complicatios after a stroke
• the planned transfer of care of patients from the hospital to the home setting
• roles of the multidisciplinary team and the levels of care and expertise to be provided within stroke services
• provision of information and the production of locally produced information materials.

This guideline will be of interest to anyone with an interest in stroke, including but not exclusively, stroke physicians, nurses especially those caring for people with stroke, specialists in care of the elderly, rehabilitation specialists, general physicians, speech and language therapists, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, orthotists, pharmacists, psychologists, neurologists, general practitioners, specialists in public health, patients and carers.
It will also be of interest to those planning the delivery of services in NHS Scotland and beyond.