Abstract:

The ANGELS Initiative, in collaboration with the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) and supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, was launched in 2016 in Europe, with the original aim of establishing 1,500 European stroke-ready hospitals and improving the standard of acute stroke care and patients’ outcomes in Europe by May 2019. In the subsequent three years since launch, the ANGELS programme has expanded its sphere of influence significantly, and internationally; it now engages with stroke physicians, nurses, and emergency medical services (EMS) in more than 2,700 hospitals in 95countries. The ANGELS Initiative satellite symposium: “The ANGELS Initiative: three years and counting” was presented at the European Stroke Organization Conference ESOC) on the 22nd May 2019 in Milan. This symposium reviewed the contribution the ANGELS Initiative has made over the last three years with respect to increasing the availability and the quality of acute stroke care. The content of the symposium presentations, made by leading stroke professionals, provides insights into how a new stroke ready hospital is established, and how a regional stroke network can be achieved. The crucial roles of the specialized stroke nurse and emergency stroke services (EMS) are acknowledged, and the educational and training initiatives that have been made available for these professionals through ANGELS are reviewed. In addition, an assessment of the measurable impact the ANGELS initiative has had on the delivery and effectiveness of acute stroke care in Vietnam is reported.

Acknowledgements: The editorial assistance of Mr Rob Goodwin, Oruen Ltd, in the preparation of this article is acknowledged with thanks.

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