Five SHLS researchers join new Scottish Government stroke advisory committee

Five top researchers from the School of Health and Life Sciences have been invited onto the newly formed Scottish Government’s National Advisory Committee for Stroke (NACS) Rehabilitation Subgroup.

Professor in Neurological Rehabilitation Frederike van Wijck, Professor Jo Booth, Dr Christine Hazelton, Dr Alex Pollock and Dr Lesley Scobbie – all from GCU’s Living with stroke and other neurological conditions research group – will join the new Subgroup.

Professor van Wijck said: “We are delighted and honoured to have been invited onto this group, as it will provide us with an invaluable opportunity to contribute to improvements in stroke rehabilitation on a national level, based on the innovative methods and study findings developed by colleagues from our research group.

“Our leading team of stroke rehabilitation scientists are the only academics in Scotland invited to sit on the NACS Rehabilitation Subgroup.

“I think this is a sign of recognition for the strong track record in internationally recognised, clinically relevant, stroke rehabilitation research delivered by our research group over the years, which is unique in Scotland.

“Noteworthy is the fact that Early Career Researchers with a clinical-academic remit have been invited onto this group, including Dr Scobbie, who holds a joint clinical-academic role with NHS Lanarkshire, and Dr Hazelton, whose work focuses on improving clinical services for stroke survivors with vision loss across both NHS and charity-led services.

“We would like to acknowledge funding from the Stroke Association, which has been instrumental in the career development of these colleagues. They will make an essential contribution to the work of this group, which endeavours to formulate high-level recommendations for health and social care service delivery across Scotland.”

The remit of the NACS Rehabilitation Subgroup is to advise the Scottish Government Clinical Priorities Team and NACS on how to improve stroke rehabilitation in hospital and community settings across the country, based on current best evidence, which will be reviewed in collaboration with Health Improvement Scotland (HIS).

The group will contribute to a report which includes a description of what progressive stroke rehabilitation and support services would look like across Scotland. They will then formulate, in partnership with the NACS Managed Clinical Networks Subgroup, a plan to implement progressive stroke rehabilitation and support services across Scotland by November 2021.

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