Stroke Communication Support

Descriptions

Background, Stroke is the fourth single leading cause of death in the UK and the single largest cause of complex disability . Stroke mortality has halved in the last two decades . However, without further action, due to changing demographics, the number of people having a stroke will increase by almost half, and the number of stroke survivors living with disability will increase by a third by 2035 . , Each year, approximately 110,000 people in England have a first or recurrent stroke. Most people survive a first stroke but often have significant morbidity. More than 900,000 people in England are living with the effects of stroke. , Communication problems are very common after a stroke. Around one-third of stroke survivors have problems with speaking, reading, writing and understanding what other people say to them. , Service Description, The Stroke Communication Support Service is a key source of after care for people who experience communication difficulties after stroke and their carers, offering bespoke non time-limited interventions in one-to-one and group settings depending on the needs and goals of the service user. The service is unique in providing vital psychological and practical support at a well identified well-being low point: there is no other service meeting this need., The service offers structured communication workshops offering support with a range of communication needs and looking at practical support with daily activities and supporting people back into employment, assisting both stroke sufferer and an employer with practical ways to support patient's return to work. It is particularly important, as a significant percentage of people using the service are of the working age., Prior to the pandemic, home visits and telephone appointments made up the majority of contacts undertaken with service users, but the service has adapted well to the new, remote ways of working. Unexpectedly, online offer of one-to-one and group support was very well received by the stroke survivors and carers. These were also attended by people who would have not attended face-to-face appointments due to difficulty with traveling and gave an opportunity to create additional groups, attended by people from wider geographical areas. The service covers geographical areas of Southampton and Hampshire, including: South West, Southampton, South East, Fareham & Gosport, Mid & North, and North East Hampshire and Farnham., The existing annual value of the contract for all localities wishing to put in place new , 1 year (plus 1-year extension) arrangement is £133,166 per annum (refer to Annex A for further breakdown)., 1.1It is commissioners' intention to continue to provide the above-described service. , 1.2The longer-term commissioning intention is to review the current service specification in line with emerging Integrated Stroke Delivery Network developments and national specification for Life After Stroke Service. Publication of this national service specification was expected in 2021 but has been delayed due to ongoing pandemic and is expected in the near future but an exact timescale for publication is currently uncertain., 2.Rationale for Preferred Direct Award Ensuring Continuity of Service, 2.1Stroke Association, as a national charity delivering stroke services across the UK, supporting stroke survivors and raising public awareness of stroke and stroke prevention, is uniquely placed to deliver the service of this nature. This support will not be delivered by clinicians., 2.2Stroke Association offers added value to the service, linking users with a network of associated peer support groups, offering stroke survivors volunteering opportunities, further supporting their recovery, spreading awareness about stroke, stroke prevention and time critical intervention in case of stroke and promoting innovation offering users access to online information and online support services. , Contract duration: 1 year from 1st April 2022 (with optional 1-year extension), Value of proposed Contract - £266,332 for 2 years (plus annual NHSE/I national inflationary uplift). This financial envelope is based upon 2021/22 budget envelope and takes no account of additional or reduced budget envelopes for the proposed period, for example inflation, efficiency savings, wage awards or other national mandated requirements.