Neurovascular Service

To be referred to the Neurovascular Service your GP will need to complete a referral form and send it via Healthlink

Please bring the following items with you to your appointment:

• A complete list of the medications you are currently taking
• Any relevant information on tests and procedures completed in other hospitals
• A friend, relative or carer who knows you well and can assist with the assessment process
• If you are diabetic, please bring your glucometer as your blood sugars may be monitored during specific tests  If you are asthmatic, please bring your inhalers to the clinic.

At the TIA Clinic, patients are seen by a member of the Stroke Service Team and a detailed recording of symptoms and past medical history will be taken. The patient may have an echocardiogram (ECG), blood tests, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and/or heart tracing monitoring (up to 7 days as an outpatient) on the day, or at a later date. 

Some patients may need to have an ultrasound scan of the main arteries in the neck which supply the brain, as these can become blocked.  The scan is usually done on the same day as the TIA Clinic appointment or as soon as possible after this date.  Some patients are also referred for a brain scan. After the assessment, the Stroke Service Team will review your record, provide advice on how to prevent a stroke and discuss modifiable risk factors for stroke.  The team will also provide family and carers with information on local supports. 

It is important to note that patients to the TIA Clinic should not drive for at least 28-days post-TIA or stroke

Patients who have been admitted with a stroke will generally be followed up in the Neurovascular Clinic after discharge. There they will be seen by a member of the Stroke Team, where their progress is assessed, medications are reviewed and additional investigations may be arranged. Information about local supports will be provided to the patient and family.

The treatment of patients attending the neurovascular service is specifically tailored to the individual’s clinical condition and depends on the nature of their stroke and sometimes the duration of symptoms.

The treatment of patients attending the neurovascular service is specifically tailored to the individual’s clinical condition and depends on the nature of their stroke and sometimes the duration of symptoms.