AHPs in Stroke
Allied Health Professions are critical to a person’s care as they move through the Stroke Pathway.
Paramedics will often be the first AHP involved in the pathway and will complete a validated screening tool for all patients suspected of having a Stroke or TIA and liaise with senior stroke clinician’s to consider whether the person meets the criteria for Thrombolysis (medicine which dissolves the blood clot and restore blood flow to the brain) or Thrombectomy (surgical removal of a blood clot) and will transport the person to the nearest Acute Stroke Centre as quickly as possible to ensure that they can access timely treatment.
Radiographers ensure that there is rapid access to neurovascular imaging of the brain and vessels supplying it to underpin diagnosis and management decisions.
If a person should require Neurosurgical intervention as part of the medical management of the Stroke, Operating Department Practitioner’s will prepare the necessary equipment and instruments required, support the neurosurgeons during the procedure and support the person during their time in the recovery room and assess fitness to return to the ward.
Physiotherapist’s, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapist’s and Dietician’s are core members of the in-patient and community Stroke rehabilitation services providing assessment and rehabilitation of movement, functional activities, cognition, vison, communication, swallowing and nutrition. They work together with the person and other core members of the multi-disciplinary team such as Nurses, Consultants, Psychologists and Social Workers to achieve the person’s goals. The person may transition to an in-patient rehabilitation setting or be supported to return home or to a care/nursing home facility with support from an integrated community stroke service.
Orthoptists can assess the person while they are an in-patient or as an out-patient for diagnosis and treatment of visual field loss, reduced vision, eye movement problems or perceptual problems that may have occurred as a result of a Stroke. They may work closely with Occupational Therapists, Medical Team and Psychologists.
Orthotists use their skills in biomechanics, material science and anatomy and physiology to design and issue specialist orthotics to improve a person’s ability to function. They often work closely with Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. Some common reasons why orthotics maybe required for a person after a Stroke are to support them to be able to lift their foot to improve their ability to walk and reduce the risk of falls, to protect their shoulder which may become vulnerable and painful due to muscle weakness and to provide a prolonged stretch to their wrist and fingers.
People maybe referred to a Podiatrist for advice on footwear and footcare if they have reduced sensation and swelling in their feet following the Stroke. Podiatrists can also provide insoles and orthotics for the foot to improve function. They are also able to provide nail and skin care for people who are no longer able to do this for themselves after a Stroke and also have other co-morbidities such as Diabetes.
Art, Drama and Music Therapists can utilise creative arts combined with psychotherapy to support a person with the emotional, cognitive and social sequelae of Stroke. Creative Therapy is particularly effective for those people who struggle to access the more traditional talking therapies following a Stroke.
Find out more about each of the professions via the links at the end of the article.
