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Recommendation 1
All stroke units should have continuous access to a consultant physician with expertise in stroke medicine, with consultant review 5 days per week.
Irish National Audit of Stroke National Report 2024 and Organisational Audit Report 2025
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This is the sixth Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) National Report and includes the findings from the second INAS Organisational Audit Report. In 2025, 24 hospitals provided acute stroke services and all are reported on within this report. Since 2021, the number of annual stroke admissions has increased by 13%, while the number of stroke unit beds has risen by just 2%. All 24 hospitals that provide acute stroke care have a designated stroke unit, and in 2024, 73% of patients with a stroke were admitted to one, an increase from 70% in 2021 but below the national target of 90%.
Key Recommendation
Recommendation 2
Hospitals that admit patients with acute stroke should ensure that a sufficient number of designated stroke unit beds are available in order to provide high-quality stroke care.
Recommendation 3
All stroke units should be resourced to provide stroke specialist rehabilitation.
Recommendation 4
Stroke units must be staffed with nurses with special interest, training and expertise in stroke care.
Recommendation 5
Hospitals should increase the number of appropriately resourced ESD teams in order to improve access.
Recommendation 6
All hospitals that provide acute stroke services should ensure that there is a stroke service governance committee.
Recommendation 7
All patients with a stroke should have access to routine and advanced imaging at all times.
Recommendation 8
National agreement on how the definition of stroke should be classified should be prioritised.