Ten years on - a survey of orthoptic stroke services in the UK and Ireland



Hepworth, LR ORCID: 0000-0001-8542-9815 and Rowe, fiona ORCID: 0000-0001-9210-9131
(2019) Ten years on - a survey of orthoptic stroke services in the UK and Ireland. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 15 (1). pp. 89-95.

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Abstract

Aim: In 2007 a national orthoptic survey identified poor provision of vision assessment for stroke survivors. The purpose of this study is to report a 10-year update of this survey to identify changes in clinical practice over recent years. Methods: An online practice survey of registered orthoptists (British and Irish Orthoptic Society, BIOS) was undertaken to scope vision services for stroke survivors. Results: At the time of this survey, there were 223 orthoptic departments and 227 stroke units in the UK and Ireland. 317 responses were received representing 178 orthoptic departments – an 80% response rate for orthoptic departments. Of the respondents, 92% reported having a stroke unit in their hospital. A stroke/vision service was provided by 98% of responding orthoptic departments for 77% of stroke units but with only half providing a vision service on the stroke unit. Only 33% of vision services were funded and funding remains the primary barrier to providing a stroke/vision service. About 85% of respondents were aware of the national clinical guidelines for stroke and the BIOS extended practice guidelines for stroke. Conclusions: There has been a positive increase in awareness of stroke-related visual impairment and a steady improvement in provision of eye care for stroke survivors. However, there remains a lack of provision of specialist vision services specifically on stroke units which infers a health inequality for stroke survivors who have visual impairment. Their visual impairments can remain undetected and thus undiagnosed and unmanaged due to unsatisfactory patient care.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: orthoptics, stroke, services, provision, vision assessment
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 09 May 2019 14:31
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 00:46
DOI: 10.22599/bioj.135
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3040462