Need for specialist clinician‐directed triage for TIA: NICE recommendations against resources: a review of service delivery

Abstract

Current 2019 NICE guidelines recognise the need to urgently confirm or refute the diagnosis of a suspected transient ischaemic attack (TIA) with specialist opinion, especially as an alternative diagnosis (that is a TIA‐mimic) will be found in 41% to 50% of cases. In this service evaluation project article, the authors evaluate current TIA service delivery in New Cross Hospital to ascertain the proportion of patients referred to the TIA clinic with a final diagnosis of TIA or stroke, prevalence of stroke mimics and suggest recommendations to enhance effective use of NHS resources.