
More can be done to improve the way GP practices deal with patients with stroke symptoms, research from the West Midlands has shown. An article published today (30 June) in the British Journal of General Practice highlights the important role of GP receptionists in directing stroke patients towards timely, emergency care. The RECEPTS study used ‘mystery shopper’ telephone calls from researchers posing as patients with stroke symptoms: around one third of calls were not recognised as emergencies.