Minutes of the meeting of

Welsh Association of Stroke Physicians 7/3/13

                                      Bangor.

Welcome at 17.55

Attendees:  Dick Dewar, K N Ganeshram, Yaqoob Bhat, V Adhiyaman,

Bim Bhowmick, Ailsa Dunn, Tony Starczewski, Gordon Black, Praphull

Shukla, Rajeev Mammachan, Jonathan Hewitt, Salah Elghenzai.

Apologies: Anthony White, Shakeel Ahmed, Hamsaraj Shetty, Tom

Hughes, Mujtaba Hasan.

1)    18.00 Meeting started with presentation by Dr K N Ganeshram

on ‘ Telestroke North Wales’ showing the number of stroke

thrombolysis trebled since inception of 24/7 thrombolysis. Further

discussion ensued about home connections for stroke physicians on

rota. Dr Freeman explained that it is gradually rolled out across

Wales.

2)    Minutes of previous meeting was agreed as true reflection of the

proceedings.

3)    Stroke sentinel audit was in the agenda but was discussed

quickly as all health boards are supported by DSU, lead by Dr A

 Freeman. The improvement that has occurred was appreciated. But

 all agreed that the pressure need to be sustained to continue the

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improvement.

4)    Weekly telestroke MDT meeting happens on Wednesday

afternoon. This meeting has improved communication between

 physicians in South Wales as this also discuss management issues.

But North Wales clinicians are not able to join the meeting on

Wednesdays. Dr Ganeshram informed that North Wales has one

MDT per month on the last Thursday afternoon to discuss all out of

Hours thrombolysis. Also once a month Dr Ian Turnbull, retired

Neuroradiologist (ASTRACAT course) lead a meeting in Glan

Clwyd on first Tuesday afternoon. All suggested that Dr

Ganeshram to write to Tom Hughes suggesting that one of the

South Wales meeting be organised on a Tuesday for North Wales

clinicians to join. ACTION: Dr KNG to write to Tom.

5)    Further discussions happened in regards to criteria’s for

hemicraniectomy in stroke. Neurosurgery department in Walton,

Liverpool has an online referral system. It was decided that this has

to be discussed in detail on a later date.

6)    TIA and Rehabilitation bundles: It was decided that the existing

resources is making it extremely challenging for teams to fill in

these data.

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7)    SSNAP: members had a lengthy discussion about intelligent

targets and the new SSNAP from RCP. Dr Freeman mentioned that

Health boards across Wales are to join the first 72 hours SSNAP

 audit by July 2013. It was also mentioned that RCP is doing a

training meeting for teams on 15/3/13 at 1pm. Possibly from

November 2013, Wales will join the SSNAP in its full form.

Intelligent targets may be phased out over this time period.

Next meeting 20/6/2013 .