Stroke Clot Retrieval Services

Overview

The Ministry of Health has worked with the Stroke Clot Retrieval (SCR) Advisory Group and Clinical Director, SCR to design an Action Plan to support the existing New Zealand Strategy for Endovascular Clot Retrieval. Once finalised the Action Plan will be submitted as a National Services Improvement Programme.

SCR is an effective, but time sensitive, treatment for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients.

Why We Are Consulting

The SCR Action Plan has been developed to improve access to high quality care and outcomes, supported by a sustainable service. The following objectives have been identified as being important for SCR services:

1. improve access to SCR
2. reduced inequity of access to SCR
3. provide patient centred, culturally appropriate care
4. achieve improved health outcomes
5. improve equity in outcomes for people experiencing AIS.

To achieve these objectives SCR services will need to be nationally consistent, sustainable, available 24 hours, be supported by an appropriately skilled workforce and make optimal use of technology to support referral pathways and decision making. The Action Plan puts forward five improvement priority areas and outcome measures to track achievement of the five objectives.   

Official Information Act 1982

The Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA) applies to any submission you make and to any personal information you provide.  The OIA requires information held (by the Ministry of Health) to be made available unless there is good reason to withhold it.  Accordingly, if the Ministry of Health does receive a request under the OIA for your information, we will discuss that with you before responding to the request.

What Happens Next

All feedback will be collected and analysed, once submissions close at 5pm 1 March 2019. Consultation feedback will be presented to the Advisory Group to agree on any necessary amendments to the Stroke Clot Retrieval Action Plan, prior to endorsement.