Nurses collaborating for World Stroke Day

Date of release: 19 October 2023

Two Nurses from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) are joining forces to raise awareness of stroke prevention and host a new Carers Cafe.

Rachael Jones, Senior Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Stroke, and Amie Cooper, Specialist Lipid Nurse, are highlighting how high lipid levels are a risk factor for stroke. Lipids are fat-like substances found in blood and body tissues.

Amie worked as a Cardiac Rehabilitation Sister previously, but embraced the opportunity to take on the brand-new lipid role.

She said: “High lipids levels are a risk factor for stroke; in my role I encourage patients to understand the importance of good lipid control – providing support to those who need it.”

Rachel and Amie will host the first Carers Café for members of the public to attend and speak to stroke professionals ahead of World Stroke Day. The drop-in café will be open on Tuesday 24 October, 6pm to 8pm on Ward C23 at New Cross Hospital. Further dates are to be confirmed.

Some of the main risk factors for stroke are Atrial Fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), high blood pressure, high lipid levels, poorly controlled diabetes, smoking and high alcohol intake.

A stroke is a medical emergency and will strike with no warning suddenly. If you have any symptoms of stroke, you should always ring 999. Think and act FAST:

Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?
Speech – is their speech slurred?
>Time – time to call 999

Each year, 150,000 people in the UK alone will have a stroke. Most can be prevented, so knowing the risk factors and treating them is key to prevention.