Minister Kieran O’Donnell officially launches Ireland’s first Nurse-Led Post-Stroke Hypertension Clinic at University Hospital Limerick

New clinic will provide structured blood-pressure management for patients, helping to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke

University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has launched Ireland’s first dedicated, nurse-led Post-Stroke Hypertension Clinic to bolster secondary prevention and long-term blood-pressure control following a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA).

Minister of State for Older People and Housing Kieran O’Donnell officially opened the clinic today to mark World Stroke Day, spotlighting early intervention and post-discharge support.

Up to 80 percent of strokes and heart attacks are preventable, however, hypertension remains the primary modifiable driver of secondary events. With stroke incidence in Ireland projected to surge by nearly 60% by 2035, systemic follow-up care is increasingly important.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner Nora Cunningham oversees the new clinic, which delivers patient education, home-monitoring resources, and routine reviews by the hospital’s stroke team. As the first organised service of its kind in Ireland, the clinic aligns with the goals of the National Stroke Strategy to standardise post-discharge secondary prevention. Speaking about the innovation Nora said, “The Post-Stroke Hypertension (PoSH) Clinic is about putting patients at the centre of stroke prevention. By providing timely, personalised care and empowering patients to manage their blood pressure, we can make a real difference in reducing the risk of further strokes. This nurse-led initiative reflects our commitment to delivering accessible, specialist care that improves outcomes and makes a meaningful difference to patients’ lives.”

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell said:

Dr Catherine Peters, Regional Clinical Director HSE Mid West added, “The development of the Post-Stroke Hypertension Clinic reflects our commitment to continuously strengthen health services across the Mid West. By introducing innovative, evidence-based models of care such as this nurse-led service, we are improving access to specialist support, enhancing continuity of care after hospital discharge, and helping patients achieve better long-term outcomes. This clinic demonstrates how service development can be both patient-centred and responsive to emerging healthcare needs.”

Prof Ronan Collins, former HSE Clinical Lead for the Stroke Programme, Consultant Geriatrician and Stroke Specialist at Tallaght University Hospital, noted: "For someone who has experienced a stroke or TIA, leaving the hospital is only one part of recovery. This initiative gives patients a clear pathway for blood pressure management and demonstrates how the Expert Steering Group on Hypertension’s clinical models can work in practice across Ireland."

Ian Carter, CEO of Acute and Older Person Services, HSE Mid West added: "Empowering patients to monitor their condition at home while staying closely tied to clinical teams and their GPs ensures care does not end at hospital discharge. This model keeps secondary prevention firmly at the centre of stroke care."

Embedded within UHL’s acute stroke service, the clinic operates under European hypertension guidelines and uses standardised toolkits, including custom decision-support algorithms, referral criteria, and rapid-escalation pathways for urgent cases.