Table 1 Centre for Research Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation and Brain Recovery (CRE-Stroke) research streams used for implementation of the Framework to Assess the Impact of Translational health research (FAIT)

Basic science

Persistent psychological distress and fatigue are common problems affecting stroke survivor rehabilitation. These problems are under-researched because they are difficult to assess with existing techniques. The Basic Science workstream will address this need through two basic science projects – the first will assess chronic stress in recovering stroke survivors through the measurement of hair cortisol. The second will explore the relationship between inflammation and post-stroke recovery.

Neuroimaging

This workstream addresses two broad themes, namely (1) early (post-stroke) neuroimaging to predict stroke recovery and develop neuroimaging and clinical profiles to inform potential for recovery and allow better stratification of stroke patients in clinical trials, and (2) serial neuroimaging as a biological marker of stroke recovery and ability to benefit from rehabilitation and to inform targeted approaches to rehabilitation interventions. The aim is to learn the characteristics of brain function, structure and metabolism associated with recovery and rehabilitation in those who recover well. This will help inform individual tailoring of rehabilitation interventional approaches.

Clinical trials

This workstream will facilitate the following outcomes with regard to clinical trials in stroke rehabilitation science: improved quality, greater standardisation and increased trial size. Specifically, the workstream will:

(1) Develop a platform for rehabilitation trials, with sharing of procedures and resources to increase efficiencies

(2) Develop a national training programme

(3) Pool trial data to allow novel hypotheses to be developed and improve patient stratification.

It is expected that new trials using this information will be developed.

Implementation science

This workstream aims to maximise the translation of effective and cost-effective research from the CRE-Stroke into real-world use and contribute new knowledge to the field of implementation science. The workstream will develop an education programme, a research implementation template, and implementation models and strategies (products) to transfer knowledge from researchers to end-users. This work will be underpinned by appropriate theoretical frameworks to understand the factors that impede or enable implementation to occur at a patient, clinical and/or system level. The effectiveness of implementation models and strategies will be measured and reported.

Data linkage

This workstream will (1) work to link databases in order to better understand the full survivor journey in hospitals and show the associations between the type and quality of care received with longer-term outcomes; (2) facilitate access to already linked datasets held by CRE-Stroke investigators; (3) provide a high level Standard Operating Procedure to facilitate access to available or newly established linked datasets related to stroke rehabilitation; and (4) create new knowledge through the analysis of linked data. This workstream does not intend to be the custodian of linked datasets. However, it will provide a universal governance process for using linked data of relevance to stroke rehabilitation.