title: An urgent access neurovascular clinic: audit of timeliness.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate timeliness of an outpatient urgent access neurovascular clinic in a district general hospital setting through an audit of delay from event to completion of evaluation following transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke. Participants included those referred for evaluation of suspected TIA or minor stroke. The median delay from event to completion was 16 days, with 45% seen within two weeks of symptom onset, and 15% within one week of symptom onset. A weekly TIA clinic is not capable of achieving the National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke recommendation for evaluation within one week of symptoms. This audit supports the National Stroke Strategy recommendation for immediate evaluation of patients presenting with a recent TIA or minor stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, Bucks. dennis.briley@buckshosp.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Briley
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meagher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004630:Emergencies; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors