Guideline 64 Section 9: Development of the guideline

Management of patients with stroke
Rehabilitation, prevention and management of complications, and discharge planning
Section 9: Development of the guideline

9.1 Introduction

SIGN is a collaborative network of clinicians, other health care professionals and patient representatives, funded by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) of the Scottish Executive Health Department. SIGN guidelines are developed by multidisciplinary groups using a standard methodology, based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details about SIGN and the guideline development methodology are contained in SIGN 50; A Guideline developer’s handbook available at www.sign.ac.uk.

9.2 The guideline development group

Dr Richard Lindley (Chairman)	Consultant Physician & Geriatrician, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Mr John Brown	Patient Representative, North Berwick
Mr Campbell Chalmers	Director of Advice & Support, Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland
Mrs Ursula Corker	Carer representative, Dumfries
Mrs Marion Dawson	Senior Social Worker, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Ali El-Ghorr	Programme Manager, SIGN
Professor Peter Langhorne	Professor of Stroke Care, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Ms Lynn Legg	Research Therapist, Stroke Therapy Evaluation Programme, Glasgow
Mrs Flora MacGillivray	Staff Nurse, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
Ms Therese Jackson	Clinical Specialist/Head Occupational Therapist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Dr Catherine Mackenzie	Reader, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Dr Ron MacWalter	Consultant Physician, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
Dr Jacqueline McDonald	General Practitioner, Penicuik
Dr Grant McHattie	General Practitioner, Troon
Dr Alex Pollock	Research Physiotherapist, Stroke Therapy Evaluation Programme, Glasgow
Mr Cameron Sellars	Speech & Language Therapist, Stroke Therapy Evaluation Programme, Glasgow
Mr Mark Smith (Secretary)	Superintendent Physiotherapist, Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Jacqueline Taylor	Consultant Physician, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Dr Deborah Tinson	Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh
Mr Ian Wellwood	Physiotherapist, Glasgow Royal Infirmary

The membership of the guideline development group was confirmed following consultation with the member organisations of SIGN. Declarations of interests were made by all members of the guideline development group. Further details are available from the SIGN Executive. Guideline development and literature review expertise, support, and facilitation were provided by the SIGN Executive.

9.3 Systematic literature review

The majority of the questions addressed in this guideline were answered by evidence identified from a series of Cochrane Reviews. These reviews were supplemented by searches of the Cochrane Stroke Group’s specialised trials register, carried out by members of the guideline development group. Details are available from the SIGN Executive.

9.4 Consultation and peer review

9.4.1 NATIONAL OPEN MEETING

A national open meeting is the main consultative phase of SIGN guideline development, at which the guideline development group present their draft recommendations for the first time. The national open meeting for this guideline was held on 14 May 2001 and was attended by 180 representatives of all the key specialties relevant to the guideline. The draft guideline was also available on the SIGN web site for a limited period at this stage to allow those unable to attend the meeting to contribute to the development of the guideline.

9.4.2 SPECIALIST REVIEWERS INVITED TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT

Dr Alan Begg	General Practitioner, Montrose
Mr David Clark	Chief Executive, Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland
Ms Helen Clinkscale	Clinical Co-ordinator, Borders General Hospital, Melrose
Dr Pamela Crawford	Consultant Geriatrician, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
Ms Yvonne Currie	Stroke Co-ordinator Nurse, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
Ms Patricia Dawson	Head of Policy, Royal College of Nursing, Scotland
Dr Martin Dennis	Consultant Stroke Physician, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Ms Margaret Goose	Chief Executive, The Stroke Association, London
Dr Gert Kwakkel	Department of Physical Therapy, Institute of Fundamental & Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr Nick Miller	Department of Speech, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne
Professor Bo Norrving	Professor in Neurology, Lund University, Sweden
Dr Anthony Rudd	Associate Director (Stroke) Clinical Effectiveness & Evaluation Unit, Royal College of Physicians, London
Dr Morag Thow	Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Glasgow Caledonian University
Dr Marion Walker	Lecturer in Stroke Rehabilitation, University of Nottingham
Dr Maggie Whyte	Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Ms Jane Williams	Consultant Nurse in Stroke Care, Portsmouth

9.4.3 SIGN EDITORIAL GROUP

As a final quality control check, the guideline was reviewed by an Editorial Group comprising the relevant specialty representatives on SIGN Council:

Dr David Alexander	British Medical Association Scottish General Practice Committee
Professor Gordon Lowe	Chairman of SIGN; Co-Editor
Dr Lesley MacDonald	Faculty of Public Health Medicine
Ms Juliet Miller	Editor
Dr Safia Qureshi	Programme Director, SIGN; Co-Editor
Dr Margaret Roberts	Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Dr Peter Wimpenny	School of Nursing and Midwifery, The Robert Gordon University

9.5 Acknowledgements

The SIGN group would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Stroke Therapy Evaluation Programme (STEP) and the Cochrane Stroke Group. STEP are funded by Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and the Chief Scientist Office funds the Cochrane Stroke Group. Additional expert advice was received from:

Ms Kim Thompson	Head of Service, Occupational Therapy, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Dr Moray Nairn	Programme Manager, SIGN
Mr Robin Harbour	Quality and Information Director, SIGN

Management of patients with stroke Rehabilitation, prevention and management of complications, and discharge planning Section 9: Development of the guideline

Management of patients with stroke
Rehabilitation, prevention and management of complications, and discharge planning
Section 9: Development of the guideline