National recognition for the work of Greater Manchester CLAHRC
The work of Greater Manchester CLAHRC has been recognised nationally in the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) annual report for 2010-11.
The Greater Manchester Stroke Assessment Tool (GM-SAT) was one of only two CLAHRC initiatives to be highlighted in the report.
Writing in the report’s foreword, Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “Funding research for the benefit of patients and the public is at the heart of the NIHR, and the individual projects picked out in the Report demonstrate how the NIHR is providing evidence to improve treatments, interventions and care.”
Professor Bonnie Sibbald, Director of the GM CLAHRC, said: “Well done to everyone at GM CLAHRC who is involved with the development and implementation of the review tool. To be recognised nationally in this way is a great achievement for the project. We’ve seen how effective the tool can be locally in helping patients and their carers access the right care and support following a stroke. “
As well as being widely used in Greater Manchester, the tool has also been adopted outside of the region and we have been working with different primary care and community organisations to see how they can use GM-SAT. It’s important that everyone who can benefit from this work does so.”
GM-SAT is used by staff at the six month post-stroke review to identify and address long term, unmet needs of stroke survivors and their carers. The tool can be used to meet the requirements of the National Stroke Strategy and the Department of Health’s Accelerating Stroke Improvement Programme.
GM CLAHRC has also produced a version of the tool for stroke survivors who have aphasia, and their carers: the GM-SAT Easy Access Toolkit. This Toolkit provides a wide array of resources, to support an effective conversation with someone who has difficulty using and understanding language after their stroke.
To support the use of GM-SAT and the Easy Access Toolkit, a training video has also been produced. The video explains how both the tools were developed, how they are structured and how they can be used. Katy Rothwell, Knowledge Transfer Associate, who helped to develop GM-SAT has provided the voiceover for the video.
Both the GM-SAT and the GM-SAT Easy Access Toolkit are free to use and can be accessed from GM CLAHRC’s website.
The full NIHR annual report can be downloaded from the Department of Health publications website.
Further information on post stroke reviews is available on the NHS Improvement Reviews online resource.
Date Published: 12/10/2011