WINNER

NHS Elect

Transforming Stroke Safety: Optimising Thrombolysis Access to Improve Stroke Outcomes

The Thrombolysis in Acute Stroke Collaborative (TASC) is an NHS collaborative programme that helps stroke teams use quality improvement methods and measurement tools to improve patients’ access to timely thrombolysis treatment.

The programme involves 18 NHS trusts and combines statistical process control, quality improvement coaching, and experience-based design to drive local, data-driven improvements. Participating sites achieved a 45 per cent relative increase in thrombolysis rates and reduced door-to-needle times from 60 minutes to 40 minutes.

The collaborative uses emotional mapping and pathway reviews to identify opportunities for improvement. TASC enables staff to lead these improvements themselves, creating a collaborative, patient-centred culture that delivers measurable improvements in care quality, safety, and outcomes. The approach is now being used as a blueprint for national transformation across stroke services.

Read a detailed case study about this project at HSJ Solutions.

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Hywel Dda University Local Health Board: Our Safety Dashboard – Giving Staff Easy Access to Quality and Safety Data to Drive Improvement

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Swansea Bay UHB, Swansea Local Authority: Falls Response – Avoiding Unneccessary Long Lies for People in Care Homes or Receiving Domiciliary Care

University of Buckingham medical school: Innovating Psychiatric Admission Safety: The 15-Minute Rapid Clerking Tool

 

Topics

Winners of HSJ Awards 2025 revealed