The Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) brings together clinicians, commissioners, academics, care and support providers and other experts, as well as people who have had strokes and their families and carers. We are committed to preventing strokes and improving the lives of people affected by stroke through working together beyond the limits of individual organisations, in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).
Local stroke prevention, treatment and care services need to be improved and to be more accountable to local patients, carers and the public.
Over 1,300 people have strokes in BNSSG each year and now the quality of treatment and care they receive depends on where they live.
The BNSSG stroke care pathway is being redesigned and the proposals will be presented for public consultation later in 2021.
These will take account of national research that shows better outcomes for people who have strokes when they receive 'immediate' care at a single specialised 'hyperacute' unit, followed by recovery and rehabilitation through properly integrated care systems that link hospitals with the community.
The new BNSSG service will ensure that people have continuity and equal access to care wherever they live.
Latest news and events
Bristol Health Partners conference puts lived experience at heart of health research
14 October 2021
Bristol Health Partners held its annual Conference on Tuesday 12 October 2021. Like last year, the event was held online due to the ongoing pandemic, with more than 110 academics, clinicians, commissioners and others from organisations across Bristol, Sou...
Not the same poet, but always an artist
18 October 2021
Exhibition, Films and Workshops by Hazel Hammond. Supported by Liz Clarke and Company. About the event Hazel Hammond has been a poet and an artist for over 40 years. In 2018 she had a stroke and now lives with Aphasia, a changing condition affecting...
2020-21 highlights from Stroke HIT
20 July 2021
Dr Phil Clatworthy, Sara Blackmore, Dr Phil Simons, Chris Priestman and Stephen Hill reflect on the 2019-20 achievements of the Stroke Health Integration Team (Stroke HIT). Over the past year continued effort from Stroke HIT directors, public contribut...
Study shows aspirin can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients with pneumonia
8 July 2021
Aspirin can reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events such as ischemic stroke and heart attack in patients with pneumonia, according to new research.Serious cardiovascular complications are common in cases of pneumonia and are strongly associated w...
Public consultation on changes to hospital stroke services announced
8 June 2021
Proposals to change the way hospital stroke services are organised and delivered in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire will be put to the public from 7 June, after the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) made the decision to progress t...
The importance of ‘Information About Me’: understanding the hidden causes of delays in discharging frail older people from hospital
8 June 2021
Delays in discharging older people living with frailty from hospital are caused by a complex range of factors, but a key factor is how medical and social information about patients becomes fragmented during their stay. This is the conclusion of a study in...
Stroke HIT to develop linked database that could transform clinical decision-making around stroke treatment
25 May 2021
Bristol Health Partners’ Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) has received funding to create a scalable database of routinely collected NHS stroke clinical and imaging data. This resource, funded by a health data science grant from the University of Bri...
Odyssey Presents showcases how creative arts helps people after stroke
23 March 2021
Like with many things, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many services and groups have had to adapt and change how they work. With in-person events postponed indefinitely, the Stroke Odysseys team needed to find a new way for people who have had...
Health and care leaders set out consultation plans for changes to local stroke services
15 March 2021
Health and care leaders in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) are today (Monday 15 March) setting out plans to proceed to public consultation on major changes to the area’s stroke services. Stroke is the fourth biggest kil...
Patient and public contribution is key to development of new stroke services pathway for BNSSG
9 March 2021
Over the last four years, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (BNSSG CCG) has been working on developing the Healthier Together Stroke Services Reconfiguration Programme. With input from the Stroke Health Integ...
ACTion After Stroke courses set to start on 16 February
4 February 2021
Starting from 16 February, Bristol After Stroke will be running a course to help stroke survivors rebuild their lives.The course has been created especially for people who feel distressed or anxious following a stroke with the aim to support people who ex...
'Information About Me' campaign launched to help older people leave hospital when ready
16 November 2020
A new campaign to support older people with frailty admitted to hospital in an emergency has launched today. Many people worry about the possibility of an emergency hospital admission, and the coronavirus pandemic will be heightening these concerns. The ...
Health experts in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset share their ten tips to prevent stroke
29 October 2020
On World Stroke Day (29 October), health experts in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are encouraging people to take steps to lower their risk of having a stroke by following some essential lifestyle tips. A stroke can happen to anyone at...
HIT Conference goes virtual to address the impact of COVID-19 and wider health inequalities
20 October 2020
Bristol Health Partners held its annual Health Integration Team (HIT) Conference as an entirely virtual event this year because of the pandemic. The event, “COVID-19 Call to Action: What else can we achieve in health and social care?”, took place b...
2019-20 highlights from the Stroke HIT
11 June 2020
Dr Phil Clatworthy, Sara Blackmore, Dr Phil Simons, Chris Priestman and Stephen Hill reflect on the 2019-20 achievements of the Stroke Health Integration Team (Stroke HIT). In the last year, the stroke care pathway, which we have been heavily involved in...
STROKE HIT Co-Director and stroke survivor Stephen Hill takes on the 2.6 challenge
5 May 2020
Stephen Hill (70) is one of our STROKE Health Integration Team (HIT) Co-Directors and lead for public involvement in research. He is also a public contributor on the Bristol Health Partners executive committee. Stephen is a stroke survivor who defied the...
Stroke HIT widens access to public consultation for stroke care
6 November 2019
The Stroke HIT aphasia group created accessible resources with help from speech therapists and communications staff from Healthier Together.
HITs secure £2.9 million in research funding in 2018-19
5 June 2019
Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have attracted nearly £2.9 million in research funding to Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire during 2018-19, for nearly 40 different projects.
HITs carers event offers information and support
13 May 2019
Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) ran an event in April for ‘informal’ carers who provide substantial, unpaid care and support for family members or friends.
Bristol Health Partners to invest £176k in its Health Integration Teams
13 May 2019
Health Integration Teams (HITs) are set to benefit from £176k of investment from Bristol Health Partners in 2019-20. HITs requested funding from the partnership for a wide variety of projects, with the majority receiving funding.
Stroke HIT's achievements in 2018-19
26 April 2019
Dr Phil Clatworthy, Sara Blackmore, Chris Priestman, Stephen Hill, Dr Phil Simons and Emily Dodd give an update on what the Stroke Health Integration Team got up to in 2018-19....
South Glos Director of Public Health Sara Blackmore joins Stroke HIT
2 April 2019
Sara Blackmore, Director of Public Health at South Gloucestershire Council, has joined the Stroke Health Integration Team as a Director.
Stroke HIT launches with films, marketplace and presentations
7 December 2018
The Bristol Health Partners Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) held a special launch event on 16 November, bringing together more than 80 people, including those who have experienced stroke, their friends and family, professionals who support them, res...
Enter your photo for our Stroke HIT launch exhibition on 15 November
29 October 2018
As part of the Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) launch on 15 November, we're running a photo exhibition on the themes of ‘What makes me smile’ and ‘What helps my recovery’.
Bristol people with experience of stroke tell their stories for World Stroke Day on 29 October
29 October 2018
Every year, 1,300 people in the Bristol area have a stroke, and half of those people will have a lasting disability. World Stroke Day is on 29 October 2018, so the Stroke HIT is marking the day with the stories of local people with experience of stroke.
HITs with a focus on healthy, safe environments get together for a networking breakfast
12 October 2018
On Wednesday 3 October, Health Integration Teams (HITs) with a focus on healthy, safe environments got together for a networking breakfast at Lifeskills at the CREATE Centre in South Bristol.
Stroke HIT appoints two new public contributor Directors
25 June 2018
The Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) has appointed Stephen Hill and Chris Priestman as co-Directors and joint patient and public involvement (PPI) leads. Both Stephen and Chris are stroke survivors.
The Stroke HIT gives an update on what they've done so far and their hopes for next year
1 May 2018
Dr Phil Clatworthy, Dr Ann Sephton, Professor Mark Pietroni and Emily Dodd give an update on what the Stroke Health Integration Team - our newest HIT - has done so far and their hopes for the year ahead.
Get involved in our Stroke Health Integration Team as a peer director
17 April 2018
Have you or a loved one experienced stroke? The Stroke Health Integration Team is looking for a Peer Director to join their leadership team.
How I got involved with the Stroke HIT, and my hopes for what it can achieve
21 March 2018
Stephen Hill, a patient representative on the Stroke Care Pathway Review, talks about his hopes for the Stroke Health Integration Team.
Seminar on supporting service design and delivery showcases HIT achievements
7 February 2018
Five Health Integration Teams (HITs) presented their work aimed at keeping people out of hospital at a special lunchtime seminar on 5 February, to commissioners, project managers, researchers and people from the voluntary sector.
Stroke Health Integration Team stars on Dr Phil Hammond's BBC Radio Bristol show
3 January 2018
Dr Phil Clatworthy, director of the Stroke Health Integration Team (HIT) and stroke survivor Chris Priestman were guests on Dr Phil Hammond's BBC Bristol show on 30 December.
Stroke Health Integration Team gets go-ahead
17 October 2017
A new Health Integration Team (HIT) focused on stroke has been given the go-ahead by the Bristol Health Partners executive group. Stroke HIT aims to advance and improve the prevention of strokes and care for stroke patients.
