Stroke Service

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Contact Names/Numbers/Email Addresses


Contact InformationPatients and families can directly contact the Ward on 01 414 3200 / 3201. For the Acute Stroke unit the direct number is 01 414 3034

Director of Stroke Services : Professor Ronán Collins
Secretary: Aoife Downey Contact: 01 414 4724

The Stroke Service at Tallaght University Hospital arose from the first ever acute stroke service in the Republic of Ireland set up in the Meath hospital in 1996 within the department of Age-Related Health Care.

The service consists of a dedicated multidisciplinary team which adopts a collaborative approach to stroke care. The Stroke Service encompasses the core elements required to deliver quality stroke care such as, an Acute Stroke Unit, a 24 hour thrombolysis / thrombectomy service, access to specialist physicians and dedicated multidisciplinary team, a Rapid Access Stroke Prevention Clinic and access to diagnostics and radiology. The William Stokes Unit specialises in the care of the Older person and their rehabilitation, and strives to facilitate the individual to achieve their maximum potential- Physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually. We aim for patients to work towards independence in their life style and home environment. 

The Unit has 26 beds, of which there are eight beds in the Acute Stroke Unit (ASU). Patients who have had a stroke are closely monitored and treated in the ASU during the acute phase of stroke. Patients are then transferred to William Stokes Unit for further rehabilitation.

How to find us

Both the William Stokes Unit and Acute Stroke Unit are located on the Ground floor of Tallaght University Hospital. They can be accessed through the main entrance of the hospital and turn left at the main atrium and it is at the very bottom of the corridor.

From Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm visitors can access the units through the Charlie O’Toole Day Hospital entrance.

Nurse Led Stroke Secondary Prevention Clinic

In accordance with the ‘Irish Heart Foundation National Clinical Guidelines and Recommendations for the Care of People with Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack, 2010’ Persons at risk of a stroke and those who have had a stroke should be assessed for and given information on risk factors, lifestyle management issues and should be counselled on possible strategies to modify their lifestyle and risk factors. The nurse led secondary prevention clinic started in Tallaght University Hospital in September 2012.

The aim of the clinic is to reduce the incidence of stroke through

  • Assessment and treatment, 
  • Patient and health care provider education on stroke prevention
  • Support and risk factor screening for stroke patients
  • Advice on lifestyle modification

Held on a Thursday between 9am-1pm the target patient group are:

  • All patients admitted with TIA / Stroke under Stroke Service / Neurology Service 
  • All patients attending RASP clinic 
  • New referrals to the general stroke outpatients

It is anticipated that patients will only attend this clinic once. Referrals from the clinic are accepted from the Hospitals Stroke Service team members, ASU staff nurses and the Neurology medical teams
At the clinic patients are:

  • Assessed with recording of vital observations
  • Assessment of current condition and any recurrence/ worsening of stroke symptoms.
  • Medication compliance
  • Cardiovascular risk assessment
  • Individualised secondary prevention education based on cardiovascular risk assessment to both patients and families
  • Smoking cessation
  • Provision of written information 
  • Referral to allied health professionals
  • Liason with other community services eg. Stroke support group/ PHN Volunteer stroke scheme etc
  • Application & analysis of 24hr blood pressure monitor
  • Follow up of patients entered into clinical trials where necessary
  • Genetic screening i.e Fabrys/Pompe
  • Mood assessment in liaison with neuropsychologist

Our Stroke Clinical Nurse Specialists are Nicola Cogan and Suzanne Greene and they can be contacted on 01 414 3219

Further Information

Chats CoverIn April 2023 a new guide to help children where someone close to them has had a stroke was launched. The booklet, CHATS: (Children Helped by Adults to Talk about Stroke) was developed by Dr. Áine Connolly, Principal Clinical Psychologist, and Ms. Wendy Moynan, Social Work Team Leader of TUH.

The authors have years of experience helping patients, and families with children to navigate the difficult adjustment after a stroke in our hospital. Previous international studies have highlighted that talking to children and young people about a loved one’s illness is important for their mental health. However, research is also clear that adults find sharing a diagnosis with children emotionally challenging. Staff in the stroke service in TUH recognised that there was a gap in terms of the provision of accessible, good-quality information to help adults to talk to children after such a traumatic event. You can read the booklet by clicking on this link 

For queries and feedback about the booklet email  -  chats@tuh.ie

To watch a short animated video about CHATS click here - bit.ly/3GRelu4

Irish Heart Foundation - www.irishheart.ie

The Volunteer Stroke Scheme - www.strokescheme.ie
The Stroke Association - www.stroke.org.uk
The Carers Association - www.carersireland.com
Employ Ability - www.employability.ie
Citizens Information Centre (Tallaght) - www.tallaghtinfo.com
American Heart Association - www.americanheart.org
Headway Ireland - www.headway.ie
Acquired Brain Injury Ireland - www.abiireland.ie
The Acquired Brain Injury Advocacy Association - www.briireland.ie
Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute - www.indi.ie
Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists - www.iaslt
Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists - www.iscp.ie
Useful aphasia websites - www.speakability.org.uk / www.ukconnect.org /
www.aphasiahelp.org

Click here for further information on Stroke Support

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