The Stroke Ward is a specialist multidisciplinary service.

Service Overview

We provide assessment, treatment and management of patients who are either:

• Admitted to the hospital with stroke or suspected stroke
• Transferred back from Tallaght University Hospital (TUH)

The National Ambulance Service brings patients suspected of Acute Stroke to TUH from the following areas:

• Kildare
• West Wicklow
• Laois
• East Offaly

At Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), medical staff provide emergency stroke treatments like medication to dissolve clots (called thrombolysis) or a procedure to physically remove the clot (called mechanical thrombectomy). Patients who get these treatments stay in TUH until they are stable, and then they may be moved back to Naas General Hospital (NGH).

Patients who don’t need these emergency treatments are sent back to NGH right away for more tests.

If someone comes to the Emergency Department at NGH with stroke symptoms, they will be checked to see if they need emergency treatment. The same applies to patients already staying in the hospital who suddenly show signs of a stroke. All these patients will be seen by the stroke team.

Depending on what the stroke specialist decides, the patient might be moved to the stroke unit for rehabilitation or stay in a regular hospital ward, where they’ll still get care from the stroke team and/or general medical staff.

Rehabilitation and Support

The multidisciplinary stroke team provide medical management, nursing care and rehabilitation to stroke survivors. All patients with a confirmed stroke have access to services and input from the following members of the multidisciplinary team:

• Medical team
• Stroke nursing team
• Physiotherapist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Social Worker
• Dietician
• Pharmacist
• Discharge Planner

Once patients medically stable, the stroke team works with patients and their families/carers to begin planning for their continued care at home or in another care setting.

Continuing Rehabilitation in another Setting

In some cases, where the multidisciplinary team deems it appropriate, patients may be referred for consideration for further rehabilitation in other hospitals including:

• Peamount Hospital: based in Newcastle Co. Dublin, is a dedicated rehabilitation service offering continuation of stroke rehabilitation for patients of all ages. If accepted, patients are placed on a waiting list for a bed.
• National Rehabilitation Hospital: based in Dun Laoghaire, is a rehabilitation hospital offering a comprehensive range of specialist rehabilitation services within their Brain Injury Programme for patients under the age of 65 years. If accepted, patients are placed on a waiting list for an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services.

Support after Hospital

Community Support

Following discharge home patients are linked in with their General Practitioner (GP), public health nurse and local therapists, as required. They can then help you to continue your recovery in the community.

Outpatient Stroke Clinic

All patients with stroke under the care of the stroke consultant will receive follow-up care at the outpatient stroke clinics.

Please refer to the Clinics section for the current clinic schedules.

Useful Links & Online Resources