A conference examining the future of stroke care, from the hospital to rehabilitation in the community, and living well after stroke, has taken place at RCSI.

‘Stroke for the Future: The Vision for Comprehensive Stroke Care Pathways in Ireland’ was hosted by the iPASTAR (Improving Pathways for Acute Stroke and Rehabilitation) programme – a collaborative doctoral training award funded by the Health Research Board Collaborative Doctoral Awards Programme, and hosted by RCSI and UCD.

Topics covered at the conference include maximising accessibility and equity in stroke pathways, staying well and reducing risk after stroke, and equity of access and equality for stroke care.

Those in attendance heard keynote speeches from leaders in the stroke community, including Professor Michael Hill, University of Calgary; Professor Bo Norrving, Lund University; Professor Peter Langhorne, Emeritus Professor, University of Glasgow; Professor Peter Kelly, President of the European Stroke Organization; Professor Peter McMeekin, North Cumbria University, and Professor James Faulkner, University of Winchester.

Attendees also heard from RCSI Patient and Public Involvement Champion, Clíodhna Ní Bhroin who suffered a stroke six years ago at the age of just 32.

Professor Frances Horgan, iPASTAR lead and Professor at the School of Physiotherapy, RCSI, said: “We were delighted to host this event as a way of facilitating ongoing conversations around stroke care in Ireland and on a global scale. This conference was a great opportunity for national and international stroke experts to present an update on their projects, which are focusing on the delivery of stroke care for patients, from the hospital to rehabilitation in the community, and living well after stroke.”

Professor David Williams, iPASTAR lead and Professor of Stroke Medicine, RCSI said: “The discussions at this conference symposium echo the collegiate approach to stroke care that iPASTAR aims to achieve. Bringing clinicians, academics and patients together to address the challenges and opportunities in stroke care will enable us to make positive, evidence-based changes, optimising the patient pathway.”