Co-design of a Mobile Stroke Unit pathway highlights uncertainties and trade-offs for viable system-wide implementation in the English and Welsh NHS

TL;DR

This study co-designed a pathway for mobile stroke units in the NHS, revealing uncertainties and trade-offs that could affect their implementation.

Contribution

The study introduces a co-designed pathway for mobile stroke units in the English and Welsh NHS, highlighting key uncertainties and trade-offs.

Findings

A viable MSU pathway was co-designed with consensus from participants.

Key uncertainties include the geographical base of the MSU and staffing considerations.

Future developments like AI and telemedicine may help overcome implementation challenges.

Abstract

Mobile stroke units (MSUs) are specialist ambulances equipped with scanning and point of care testing that can identify patients eligible for intravenous thrombolysis – medication to dissolve a clot used in ischaemic strokes – and provide this on location. While benefits of MSUs have been demonstrated, this is context dependent. Routine use of MSUs across the English and Welsh National Health Service (NHS) has not yet been considered, and as such no pathway for their operation exists. This study aimed to co-design a viable pathway, detailing dispatch, staffing and treatment decisions, for MSUs within the NHS context.

The study used interdisciplinary co-design alongside Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to generate consensus. Participants were recruited using a combination of purposive, opportunistic and snowball sampling. Data collection took place in online workshops, across three rounds, with supplemental interviews conducted where required. Data were analysed as an ongoing process, with participants checking interpretations after each round, and then further analysed deductively to identify key uncertainties following all the rounds. Consensus threshold for the NGT was set a priori at ≥ 80%.

An MSU pathway that reached consensus for being viable within the NHS was developed with consideration for current systems and pressures. Key uncertainties were identified such as where to base the MSU. We also identified where participants had to make trade-offs in the co-designed pathway, such as staffing considerations. Together, the uncertainties and trade-offs represent challenges to MSU implementation and are presented alongside the process to reach the finalised pathway. Future developments which may have implications for the implementation of MSUs were also explored.

The co-designed MSU pathway provides a foundation for MSU implementation in the English and Welsh NHS and can be subjected to local and regional modifications required for implementation. However, optimal implementation is likely hindered by several uncertainties and trade-offs, including the geographical base of the MSU and staffing, that represent challenges to implementation of MSUs at scale. Future developments in acute stroke care may help to mitigate these challenges, such as developments in artificial intelligence to read scans and improved access to telemedicine.

Not applicable.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-025-01243-7.

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