The authors would like to thank the Study Steering Group, in particular Professor Pippa Tyrell, the patient representatives Gareth Jones and Stan Spinks, all the HASU staff who facilitated our qualitative data collection and were so kind and helpful, and the patients and their families who contributed to the study.
Contributions of authors
Robert Simister (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0578-6711) (Lead Consultant) was the principal investigator and led the study, provided oversight for all the qualitative and quantitative analyses, and led the discussion (see Chapter 7). He contributed to the design and analysis of all aspects of the research, and is lead author of the final report.
Georgia B Black (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2676-5071) (Senior Research Associate) co-led the analysis of how temporal consistency is achieved (see Chapter 4), led the analysis of temporal structuring of HASU wards (see Chapter 6) and contributed to the study of nurse staffing (see Chapter 5). She contributed to study design, to qualitative data collection, to all qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods analyses, and to the writing of the report.
Mariya Melnychuk (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4992-1612) (Research Associate) led the analyses of temporal variation in stroke care (see Chapter 3) and nurse staffing (see Chapter 5). She led the quantitative data requests, contributed to all quantitative and mixed-methods analyses, and to the writing of the report.
Angus IG Ramsay (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4446-6916) (Senior Research Fellow) contributed to the conception and design of the work. He co-led the analysis of how temporal consistency is achieved (see Chapter 4), and contributed to all qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods analyses.
Abigail Baim-Lance (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8602-6022) (Research Assistant Professor) contributed to the qualitative study design, to qualitative data collection and to all qualitative analyses.
David L Cohen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7318-8567) (Consultant Stroke Physician) contributed expert knowledge on the organisation and provision of acute stroke services in general, and the planning of 24/7 services in London. He contributed to the study design and all analyses.
Jeannie Eng (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7592-4246) (Clinical Research Practitioner) led the qualitative data collection and managed the project. She contributed to all qualitative and quantitative analyses.
Penny D Xanthopoulou (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1510-3382) (Research Fellow) contributed to the qualitative study design, to qualitative data collection and to all qualitative analyses.
Martin M Brown (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3273-1356) (Professor of Stroke Medicine) contributed to the conception and design of the work, and contributed expert knowledge on the organisation and provision of acute stroke services in general. He contributed to all quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Anthony G Rudd (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5738-2703) (Professor of Stroke Medicine) contributed to the conception and design of the work, and contributed expert knowledge on the organisation and provision of acute stroke services in general. He contributed to all quantitative and qualitative analyses, and to the Study Steering Group management.
Steve Morris (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5828-3563) (Professor of Health Economics) provided oversight for all the quantitative analyses. He contributed to the study design, quantitative data requests and all qualitative and quantitative analyses.
Naomi J Fulop (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5306-6140) (Professor of Health Care Organisation and Management) provided oversight for all the qualitative analyses and led the analysis. She contributed to the design and analysis of all aspects of the research.
Publications
Melnychuk M, Morris S, Black G, Ramsay AI, Eng J, Rudd A, et al. Variation in quality of acute stroke care by day and time of admission: prospective cohort study of weekday and weekend centralised hyperacute stroke unit care and non-centralised services. BMJ Open 2019;9:e025366.
Black GB, Ramsay AI, Baim-Lance A, Eng J, Melnychuk M, Xanthopoulou P, et al. What does it take to provide clinical interventions with temporal consistency? A qualitative study of London hyperacute stroke units. BMJ Open 2019;9:e025367.
Data-sharing statement
The quantitative data used in this study were obtained by formal application to the SSNAP. The agreements in place for these data do not permit further distribution or sharing. Requests for the relevant data sets must be made directly to the SSNAP. All qualitative data generated that can be shared are contained within the report. The nature of the data means that nothing else can be provided. Further information can be obtained from the corresponding author.
Patient data
This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Using patient data is vital to improve health and care for everyone. There is huge potential to make better use of information from people’s patient records, to understand more about disease, develop new treatments, monitor safety, and plan NHS services. Patient data should be kept safe and secure, to protect everyone’s privacy, and it’s important that there are safeguards to make sure that it is stored and used responsibly. Everyone should be able to find out about how patient data are used. #datasaveslives You can find out more about the background to this citation here: https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/data-citation.
Disclaimers
This report presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, the NIHR, NETSCC, the HS&DR programme or the Department of Health and Social Care. If there are verbatim quotations included in this publication the views and opinions expressed by the interviewees are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect those of the authors, those of the NHS, the NIHR, NETSCC, the HS&DR programme or the Department of Health and Social Care.