Stroke Quality Improvement for Rehabilitation (SQuIRe) funding awarded

The SQuIRe role was developed to support the 20 national stroke networks in implementing the Integrated Community Stroke Service (ICSS) model which was pioneered here in Greater Manchester.

The North West SQuIRe lead Julie Emerson has been supporting a pump priming initiative called Catalyst. Each region was awarded NHS England funds to develop projects that would catalyse the implementation of the ICSS model. In the North West this equated to nearly £950,000.

There were some fantastic bids and the successful projects provide the opportunity to look at a range of ways of addressing the rehabilitation and life after stroke pathways. The funding has enabled us to work with our partners in the Innovation Agency, charitable and academic sectors to deliver and evaluate some specific projects meaning there is a real opportunity to look at how these projects could be upscaled in the future.

The Greater Manchester projects that have been awarded funding are:

·         Stroke Association support in Bury and South Manchester – levelling up current gaps

·         Social work model in North Manchester and Trafford – new ways of working

·         Upper limb rehabilitation using CAREN at the BASIC charity – new service

·         Greater Manchester wide Speakeasy SLT therapy and support – levelling up across the region

·         Health coaching in Bolton community stroke team – new model, implementation and evaluation

We will report on their progress when they commence in 2023.