Acute

The Acute Clinical Studies Group will be responsible for developing and overseeing a portfolio of studies relating to acute stroke care, identifying gaps in research topics and both proposing and developing new trials.

The group is keen to offer practical support to others in designing, writing and revising proposals if this is required, but will consider and support studies arising elsewhere – nationally or internationally - and advise the SRN Study Adoption Committee on these. It will facilitate two-way communication between UK research funders and researchers and will provide advice on matters relating to acute stroke care to the SRN. The Acute CSG will try to ensure patient and carer involvement in its activities.

The Acute CSG has already identified a group of trials that it will support covering interventions ranging from simple approaches to prevent clinical complications through to hyperacute acute trials to extend use of thrombolysis. The group is developing priority areas for its first years’ efforts. These appear likely to include imaging for acute stroke; community education/liaison with primary care, ambulance crews and A&E departments; and development of an ethos of combining research with a high standard of routine clinical care. Membership of the group was derived through open competition and covers a balance of academic and clinical expertise, with backgrounds ranging from nursing, ambulance and radiology through to clinical trialists.