Evaluating a third sector community service following stroke

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the needs of stroke survivors and the impact of

a Life After Stroke service on users, and to explore the effectiveness of a service provided by a third

sector organisation working closely with other stroke service provision.

Design/methodology/approach – Review of management documents and reports, polling views of

128 service users through a nationally recognised survey designed to assess the service impact, and

using interviews and focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of the value and impact of the

service from a range of professionals involved with delivering stroke care. Survey response rates were

similar to that experienced nationally and the age/gender profile of respondents suggested they were

representative.

Findings – The service was highly regarded by service users as providing personal, practical and

emotional support from people who were knowledgeable and accessible in acute hospitals. From the

wider perspective, professionals involved in the stroke pathway saw the service as complementing the

acute hospital provision and the stroke community nursing team. The organisation providing the

support service worked effectively across health and social care boundaries and built on their existing

links and trusted relationships.

Originality value – This adds to the evidence that the personal impact of stroke is substantial, and

on being discharged from acute care many survivors will still have considerable needs. For those

responsible for meeting these needs, the particular model of delivering stroke support evaluated here

has been found to have considerable merits and resilience in the changing landscape of tighter

resources and NHS restructuring.