Stroke quality standards published by NICE act as markers of high-quality, cost-effective patient care, covering the treatment and prevention of Stroke related illness. 

Adopting both these guidelines and electronic patient care practices facilitates health organisations to achieve world class excellence in care provision while hitting the stringent targets set out for NHS reform.

RioMed’s flagship software, Cellma is a fully integrated healthcare solution that is designed for healthcare professionals by healthcare professionals. Its modular arrangement and flexible approach allows for full scalability and interoperability, to be used by a single healthcare professional to an entire health network. Cellma is based on the principle ‘as you like it’, as all the screens are completely customisable to the needs of the service and can be updated or modified when necessary.  

Cellma can help health organisations implement the relevant measures to achieve the 11 quality statements outlined in the quality standards.

Quality Statement 1

People seen by ambulance staff outside hospital, who have sudden onset of neurological symptoms, are screened using a validated tool to diagnose stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Those people with persisting neurological symptoms who screen positive using a validated tool, in whom hypoglycaemia has been excluded, and who have a possible diagnosis of stroke, are transferred to a specialist acute stroke unit within 1 hour.

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of people screened for stroke by ambulance staff using a validated tool; this number is then offset against the total number of people with sudden onset of neurological symptoms seen by ambulance staff.
• Monitor the number of patients with persistent neurological symptoms what are transferred to a specialist unit within 1 hour.

Quality Statement 2

Patients with acute stroke receive brain imaging within 1 hour of arrival at the hospital if they meet any of the indications for immediate imaging. 

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of acute stroke patients, who meet any of the indicators, who receive immediate imaging.

Quality Statement 3

Patients with suspected stroke are admitted directly to a specialist acute stroke unit and assessed for thrombolysis, receiving it if clinically indicated.

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of suspected stroke patients admitted into hospital and directly into specialist acute stroke units.
• Monitor the proportion of patients with suspected stroke assessed for thrombolysis who receive it in accordance with NICE technology appraisal guidance 122 (2007) and NICE clinical guideline CG68 (2008).

Quality Statement 4

Patients with acute stroke have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission to hospital, before being given any oral food, fluid or medication, and they have an on-going management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.  

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of patients who have their swallowing screened within 4 hours and before orally consuming any food, fluid or medication.
• Monitor the time between acute stroke patient admission to hospital and receiving the swallowing screening.
• Monitor the number of stroke patients with an on-going management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Quality Statement 5

Patients with stroke are assessed and managed by stroke nursing staff and at least one member of the specialist rehabilitation team within 24 hours of admission to hospital, and by all relevant members of the specialist rehabilitation team within 72 hours, with documented multidisciplinary goals agreed within 5 days.

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the proportion of stroke patients who receive assessment and care management by specialist nursing staff and at least one member of the rehabilitation team within 24 hours of admission to hospital.
• Monitor the proportion of stroke patients assessed and managed by all relevant members of the specialist rehabilitation team within 72 hours of admission.
• Monitor the proportion of stroke patients with documented multidisciplinary goals agreed within 5 days of admission.

Quality Statement 6

Patients who need on-going inpatient rehabilitation after completion of their acute diagnosis and treatment are treated in a specialist stroke rehabilitation unit.  

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of patients who are treated in a specialist rehabilitation unit.
• Monitor the number of patients who need on going specialist stroke rehabilitation after completion of acute diagnosis and treatment. 

Quality Statement 7

Patients with stroke are offered a minimum of 45 minutes of each active therapy that is required, for a minimum of 5 days a week, at a level that enables the patient to meet their rehabilitation goals for as long as they are continuing to benefit from the therapy and are able to tolerate it.  

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of stroke patients who have 45 minutes of all required active therapy offered to them, and how long for.

Quality Statement 8

Patients with stroke who have continued loss of bladder control 2 weeks after diagnosis are reassessed to identify the cause of incontinence, and have an on-going treatment plan involving both patients and carers.

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of patients with continued loss of bladder control after 2 weeks, and the proportion of which that are reassessed.
• Monitor the number of patients with treatment plans involving carers. 

Quality Statement 9

All patients after stroke are screened within 6 weeks of diagnosis, using a validated tool, to identify mood disturbance and cognitive impairment.

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of patients screened to assess mood disturbance and cognitive impairment within 6 weeks of diagnosis. 

Quality Statement 10

All patients discharged from hospital who have residual stroke-related problems are followed up within 72 hours by specialist stroke rehabilitation services for assessment and on-going management.  

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of patients with residual stroke-related problems discharged from hospital.
• Monitor the number of discharged stroke patients who are followed up by specialists within 72 hours.

Quality Statement 11

Carers of patients with stroke are provided with a named point of contact for stroke information, written information about the patient’s diagnosis and management plan, and sufficient practical training to enable them to provide care. 

How Cellma can help:

• Monitor the number of carers who are sent a named contact and written information explaining the patient’s situation.
• Monitor the number of carers who receive training to provide the care.
• Storing information related to interested parties and/or next of kin.
• Electronically generate letters to patients and/or careers.
• Record when letters have been sent.

For more information about Cellma, or support in understanding the guidelines, please contact the RioMed marketing team at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . We look forward to hearing from you!