Identification of community
stroke care coordinators
As SSC is an emerging role, we were aware tbat those acting
as SCCs might use alternative titles. For the purposes
of this survey, an SCC was defined as a qualified health
professional in regular contact with stroke patients in the
community, coordinating care packages on their behalf. In
order to capture the range of people undertaking these
duties we used a number of different methods.
These included a letter to ail (n^219) lead clinicians
for stroke in England and Wales, containing the proposed
survey and asking them to identify people undertaking
the role of stroke care coordinator or stroke liaison worker
in the community. They were asked to: complete a reply
slip indicating whether or not there was a local SCC and
return it to the research office, or forward the letter to tbe
local SCC so they could contact the research office directly.
Addidonally, advertisements were placed on the national
stroke nursing forum website, in their newsletter, the 'current
news' section of the Scottish stroke nurses forum
knowledge exchange and the RCN nursing update email.
Potential SCCs who responded to the mailsbot or
advertisement were contacted by email or telephone to
clarify their role and determine whether they met our
definition of a community SCC. Having informed them
of the purpose of the study, their verbal or written consent
to receive a questionnaire was requested. Reminders
were sent to SCCs who had not returned their completed
questionnaire within two weeks. Responses were analysed
as described below and a draft report prepared. This was
circulated to all participating SCCs along viath the second
part of the questionnaire.