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Guidelines development process

How living guidelines work

The living guidelines use ‘evidence surveillance’ systems that continually scan for relevant new research, incorporate it into evidence summaries and rapidly update guideline recommendations whenever there is a substantial change in the evidence.

The ultimate goal is to create a near real-time, closed-loop evidence system in which global evidence and local data are integrated for insight and health decision making.

Guideline recommendations will continue to be developed and published using the MAGICapp platform.

Diagram of how the evidence summaries turn newly published research and clinical practice data into updated recommendations, which then feed into clinical practice and policy

Further general, non-technical information about guideline development is documented in our Living Guidelines Methods and Processes.

Living guideline methods are also described in our paper, Feasibility of national living guideline methods: The Australian Stroke Guidelines, published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

(Hill K, English C, Campbell BCV, McDonald S, Pattuwage L, Bates P, Lassig C, Turner T; Living Stroke Guidelines Executive Group and Content Development Group. Feasibility of national living guideline methods: The Australian Stroke Guidelines. J Clin Epidemiol. 2022 Feb;142:184-193. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.11.020. Epub 2021 Nov 14. PMID: 34785347).

Guideline process documents

The 2016 NHMRC Standards for Guidelines outline requirements to document all guideline development processes, which are submitted for approval along with changes to recommendations.

Technical reports

A record of the evidence review process for our living stroke guidelines is now detailed in MAGICapp.

For each topic, you can view the clinical questions, PICO (population, intervention, comparator and outcomes), included references, evidence profile and summary. These feed into the rationale and evidence to decision for each recommendation, outlining benefits and harms, certainty of the evidence, preferences and values, and resources and other considerations.

To see these details, follow the links to topics in the Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management, and click the tabs below each recommendation.

Administrative reports

Administrative reports are also produced for each guideline update submitted to NHMRC, with information specific to the topics updated. This includes which members of the Content Development Group were involved, and any conflicts of interest they have reported.

Administrative report – May 2025
(thrombolysis, acute blood pressure lowering therapy, ICH medical interventions)
Administrative report – January 2025
(ICH surgical interventions, cerebral venous thrombosis, sleep disorders, carer support)
Administrative report – October 2024
(self management)
Administrative report – October 2023
(atrial fibrillation management after stroke)
Administrative report – June 2023
(neurointervention, oxygen therapy, central post-stroke pain, return to driving)
Administrative report – Oct 2022
(communication partner training for aphasia, and urinary incontinence)
Administrative report – Jun 2022
(pre-hospital care, aphasia, dysarthria, depression and anxiety, personality and behaviour, pressure injury)
Administrative report – Sep 2021
(pre-hospital care, acute telehealth, head position, atrial fibrillation, lifestyle modifications, arm activity, memory, telerehab, swelling of extremities)
Administrative report – May 2021
(antiplatelet therapy, standing, activities of daily living, fatigue, sexuality)
Administrative report – Dec 2020
(acute antiplatelet therapy, oxygen therapy, cholesterol-lowering therapy, weakness, shoulder pain)
Administrative report – Aug 2019
(thrombolysis, acute antithrombotic therapy, PFO management)

Public consultation submission summaries

Details of public consultation submissions and our responses are documented for each guideline update submitted to NHMRC.

People involved in guideline development

The following lists members of our Content Development Group (comprising a Steering Committee, ten Working Groups and a Consumer Panel) and Project Development Team. Further information on project governance is in the Administrative Report above.

Terms of reference for the Living Guidelines Content Development Group

Content Steering Committee

Prof Bruce Campbell (Co-Chair) / Acute Medical
Neurologist and Research Fellow - The Royal Melbourne Hospital
A/Prof Elizabeth Lynch (Co-Chair) / Physiotherapy
Senior Research Fellow, Matthew Flinders Fellow, College of Nursing and Health Sciences - Flinders University
Dr Laura Joliffe (deputy co-chair) / Occupational Therapy
Allied Health Research Lead; lecturer - Peninsula Health, Monash University
Prof Anna Ranta (deputy co-chair) / Acute medical
Consultant neurologist - Capital & Coast District Health Board (NZ)
Antonia (Toni) Arfaras / Lived experience
Lived experience expert
Prof Dominique Cadilhac / Economics
Head, Translational Public Health Unit - Monash University
Kevin English / Lived experience
Lived experience expert
Prof Steven Faux / Rehabilitation Medicine
Rehabilitation physician - St Vincent's Hospital
Prof Maree Hackett / Psychology
Head, Mental Health and Chronic Disease Program, Neurological & Mental Health Division - The George Institute for Global Health
Prof Natasha Lannin / Occupational Therapy
Researcher and lecturer - Alfred Health and Monash University
Prof Sandy Middleton / Nursing
Director, Nursing Research Institute - SVHA & ACU Nursing Research Institute
Dr Lisa Murphy / Other
CEO - Stroke Foundation
Dr John Pierce / Speech Pathology
Postdoctoral Fellow - La Trobe University
Prof Anna Ranta / Acute Medical
Consultant neurologist - Capital & Coast District Health Board
Dr Fiona Simpson / Dietetics
Clinical Specialist & Research Dietitian & Clinical Senior Lecturer - Sydney University
Prof Nigel Stocks / Rehabilitation Medicine
Discipline of General Practice - University of Adelaid

Content Working Groups

Acute Medical

A/Prof Amal Abou-Hamden
Vascular neurosurgery - Royal Adelaide Hospital
Dr Andrew Gauden
Cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgeon - Monash Health
A/Prof Andrew Wong
Director, Neurology and Stroke - Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital
Dr Cecilia Cappelen-Smith
Senior Staff Specialist Neurologist - Liverpool Hospital
Dr Chloe Mutimer
Neurology Advanced Trainee - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Prof Chris Bladin
Director, Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) Service Ambulance Victoria
A/Prof Darshan Ghia
Consultant Neurologist & Clinical Senior Lecturer - FSH and SJOG Subiaco hospitals, UWA School of Medicine and Pharmacology
Dr Duncan Maddox
Stroke Fellow, Advanced trainee - The Princess Alexandra Hospital
Dr Felix Ng
Neurologist (clinician & academic) - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Dr Ferdinand Miteff
Researcher - University of Newcastle
Dr Henry Zhao
Neurologist - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Dr Hilary Madder
Consultant, Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine - Alfred Hospital
Prof Hugh Grantham
Professor of Paramedics - Researcher Curtin University; Flinders Medical centre
A/Prof John Laidlaw
Head of neurovascular disorders clinic - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Dr John Ly
Consultant neurologist - Monash Health and Infinite Neurology
Prof Ken Butcher
Director of Clinical Neurosciences - Prince of Wales Clinical school, UNSW
Dr Lauren Sanders
Stroke Neurologist - St Vincent’s Hospital
Dr Martin Punter
Senior medical officer and clinical lead for stroke, clinical senior lecturer - Capital & Coast District Health Board, Uni of Otago Wellington (NZ)
A/Prof Nawaf Yassi
Neurologist and Stroke Research Fellow - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Prof Peter Mitchell
Director NeuroIntervention Service - Royal Melbourne Hospital
A/Prof Philip M.C. Choi
Consultant Neurologist - Box Hill Hospital
A/Prof Ramesh Sahathevan
Neurologist - Ballarat Health Service
A/Prof Ronil Chandra
Neurointerventional radiologist - Monash Health
Dr Sarah Aitken
Consultant vascular surgeon, chair and Associate Professor of Head of Surgery Specialty - Concord Repatriation General Hospital and The University of Sydney
A/Prof Stacey Jankelowitz
Clinical Associate Professor - University of Sydney
Dr Teddy Wu
Neurologist - Christchurch Hospital (NZ)
Prof Thanh Phan
Head, Stroke Unit - Monash Medical Centre
Prof Tim Kleinig
Director, Stroke Unit - Royal Adelaide Hospital
Dr Wayne Loudon
Critcal care paramedic - Metro North Ambulance Metro North, QLD
Dr Yash Gawarikar
Founder and neurologist - Canberra Region Neurology and Pain Centre

Dietetics

A/Prof Amanda Patterson
Senior Lecturer; Program Convenor Bachelor Nutrition and Dietetics - Uni of Newcastle
Ms Lesley MacDonald-Wicks
Snr lecturer, Nutrition and Dietetics - University of Newcastle
Tiffany Vuong
Clinical Dietitian - Liverpool Hospital

Nursing

Ms Aylissa Canning
Clinical Nurse Consultant - Princess Alexandra Hospital
Dr Bindu Joseph
Lecturer / Course co-ordinator Federation - University Australia
Prof Caleb Ferguson
Director of Post Graduate Western Sydney University
Mr Danny Kinsella
Neuroscience Nurse Educator - Alfred Hospital
Ms Donna Jay
Clinical Nurse Consultant,Rural Stroke Coordinator - Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital
Mr Fahad Shaikh
PhD student / Pharmacist - Western Sydney University
Ms Gillian Edmonds
Clinical Nurse Specialist, acute stroke - Fiona Stanley Hospital
A/Prof Janet Bray
Senior Research Fellow, Associate Director: Australian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (Aus-ROC) NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence - Monash University
Dr Katie Nesbitt
Research associate - Flinders University
Ms Kelly Coughlan
T3 Trial Assistant - SVHA & ACU Nursing Research Institute
Ms Kerry Boyle
Stroke Coordinator and project officer - Hunter New England Health, Stroke service
Ms Kristine Caprecho
Stroke Care Coordinator - Queanbeyan Hospital and Health District
Lai-Kin Wong
Clinical nurse specialist, stroke - Wellington Hospital
Dr Langduo Chen
Nurse Unit Manager, Tobruk Rehab Ward - Flinders Medical Centre
Ms Lien Lombardo
Registered nurse, PhD candidate, Manager, Product Development and Projects - Chrysalis Advisory
Melissa Brooks
Acute Stroke Clinical Nurse Consultant - Princess Alexandra Hospital
Natalie Govind
Lecturer, Nursing - University of technology, Sydney
Mrs Nicola (Nikki) Chappelow
Clinical Nurse Consultant Liverpool Hospital
Ms Sandra Lever
CNC Rehabilitation - Ryde Hospital
Ms Simeon Dale
Clinical Research Fellow T3 Trial Project Manager - SVHA & ACU Nursing Research Institute

Occupational therapy

Ashleigh Glynn
Senior occupational therapist Caulfield hospital - Alfred Hospital
Ms Brittni Nielsen
Occupational therapist - Caulfield Hospital
Prof Carolyn Unsworth
Professor of occupational therapy Dept of Neuroscience - Monash Uni
Dr Claire Lynch
Lecturer, Victoria Professional Practice Coordinator - Australian Catholic University
Ms Danielle Sansonetti
Grade 4 Occupational Therapist ABI Rehabilitation Centre - Caulfield Hospital
Dr Deirdre Cooke
Occupational therapist - Function for Life
Dr Emily Dalton
Occupational therapist - University of Melbourne
Dr Emma Schneider
Grade 4 Occupational Therapist - Alfred Health and Swinburne University
Dr Freyr Patterson
Lecturer and occupational therapist - University of Queensland
Hayley Scott
PhD Student - Western Health
Jane O'Connell
Snr Occupational therapist - Gold Coast Health
Miss Jaslyn Nash
Occupational therapist - Royal North Shore Hospital
Ms Jocelyn White
Occupational therapist - Clarity Occupational Therapy
Dr Kate D'Cruz
Senior research fellow - Summer Foundation and La Trobe University
Prof Kate Laver
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Rehabilitation Aged and Extended Care - Flinders University
Katherine Delany
Project manager - Princess Alexandra Hospital
Katherine Sewell
LaTrobe University
Kathleen (Kate) Makroglou
Senior occupational therapist - St George Hospital
Dr Kylie Wales
Senior lecturer - Australian Catholic University
Laura De Lacy
Occupational therapist - Alfred Health, St Vincents Hospital
Dr Lauren Christie
Senior implementation science research fellow - allied health - St Vincent's Hospital Sydney and Australian Catholic University
Dr Liana Cahill
Lecturer in Occupational therapy School of Allied health - Australian Catholic University
Dr Margaret McGrath
Head of Discipline: Occupational therapy - The University of Sydney
Mrs Melanie Hoyle
Lecturer - University of Queensland
Dr Miia Rahja
Senior Research Fellow - Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care - Flinders University
Ms Minh Tran
Occupational therapist - Rehabilitation in the Home
Ms Serena Alves-Stein
Senior occupational therapist, Clinical trial coordinator - Caulfield hospital
Sinéad O'Halloran
Occupational therapist - AT & Middlemore Hospital (NZ)
Sophie O'Keefe
PhD candidate and occupational therapist - Monash University and Alfred Hospital
Prof Stacey George
Occupational Therapist / Clinical / Academic specialist - Flinders University
Dr Tamara Tse
Discipline Lead - LaTrobe university
Dr Tenelle Hodson
Occupational therapist and lecturer - Griffith University
Yvonne Yee Kwan Mak-Yuen
Occupational therapist, research lead St - Vincent's Hospital, La Trobe University

Physiotherapy

Prof Coralie English
Professor, Physiotherapy - University of Newcastle
Danielle Gould
Senior Physiotherapist - Eastern Health
Dr Davide de Sousa
Senior Physiotherapist - Ryde Hospital
Dr Dawn Simpson
Lecturer in Physiotherapy - University of Newcastle
Dr Di Marsden
Education - John Hunter Hospital
Dr Genevieve Tole
Physiotherapist - Victorian Neurorehabilitation Network and Melbourne University
Dr Heidi Janssen
Physiotherapist and Researcher - Hunter Medical Research Institute
Dr Ines Serrada
Lecturer - Uni South Australia
Dr Jessica Nolan
Physiotherapist - Curtin University
Prof Karen Liu
Associate Dean (research), OT - Western Sydney University
A/Prof Kate Hayward
Snr research fellow in stroke recovery Dept Physiotherapy - Uni of Melb
Kate Newton
Physiotherapist and physiotherapy industry clinical educator - University of Newcastle
A/Prof Kate Scrivener
Lecturer - Macquarie University
Katrina Kenah
Physiotherapist (Rehabilitation in the Home Program) - Monash Health
Dr Kelly Bower
Senior lecturer Dept of Physiotherapy - Uni of Melbourne
Mrs Laura Donnelly
Neurosciences Physiotherapy Clinical Lead - Wollongong Hospital
Ms Lauren Abbot
Physiotherapist - Tasmanian Health Service
Dr Maria Sammut
PhD candidate -University of Newcastle
Dr Marie-Claire Smith
Lecturer, Physiotherapy - University of Auckland (NZ)
Prof Marie-Louise Bird
Academic Lead Allied Health Discipline, Senior Lecturer Federation - University Australia
Matthew Wingfield
PhD student / physiotherapist - University of Melbourne, Epworth Healthcare
Megan Banky
Physiotherapist and research fellow - Epworth health and Uni of Melbourne
Dr Michelle McDonnell
Senior Clinician - Modbury Hospital
Dr Natalie Fini
Academic, Physiotherapy - Uni Melbourne
Prof Prue Morgan
Head of Physiotherapy - Monash University
Ryan Gallagher
Research physiotherapist, senior therapisit and project officer, and conjoint senior lecturer - John Hunter Hospital and University of Newcastle
Miss Sarah Ashcroft
PhD candidate and exercise physiologist - Australian Catholic University
Dr Sharon Kramer
Postdoctoral Researcher and Student Manager AVERT team - Deakin University
Dr Simone Dorsch
Lecturer in Physiotherapy - Australian Catholic University
Ms Sophie Watt
Senior Rehabilitation physiotherapist - Logan Hospital
Dr Tamina Levy
Physiotherapist (advanced practitioner) and lecturer - Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University
Dr Thoshen Kandasamy
Advanced Education Research Lead for Allied Health - SA Health and Flinders University
Mrs Zara Youngblutt
Acute Neuroscience Physiotherapist - St George Hospital

Psychology

A/Prof Dana Wong
Snr lecturer in neuropsychology - LaTrobe university
Mrs Madeleine Stone
Clinical psychologist - St Vincent's hospital, Sydney
A/Prof Rene Stolwyk
Lecturer - Monash University
Dr Sabine Allida
Research fellow - University of Wollongong & Western Sydney Local Health District

Rehabilitation Medicine

Prof Beata Bajorek
Responsible Academic Officer – Clinical University of Technology
Dr Carl Hanger
Geriatrician - The Princess Margaret Hospital, Health New Zealand-Te Whatu Ora (NZ)
Dr Juan Rois
Rehabilitation Physician - Ipswich Hospital
Dr Peter Sturgess
Acting head of department, staff specialist and PhD candidate - Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Royal Rehab
Dr Ann (Annie) Winkler
Rehabilitation medicine physician - Northern Rivers NeuroRehab

Speech Pathology

Ms Anne-Louise (Annie) Dent
Speech Pathologist - Neurosciences RPA Hospital
Dr Dijana Dragicevich
National Allied Health Manager and Speech Pathologist - Bloom Healthcare
Dr Emily Brogan
Post Doctoral Research Fellow Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation - Edith Cowan University
Emily Neal Senior
Speech Pathologist - Prince of Wales Hospital
Dr Emma Finch
Research fellow - University of Queensland
Prof Emma Power
Lecturer, Speech Pathology - University of Technology, Sydney
A/Prof Erin Godecke
Clinical Director, Very Early Rehabilitation in SpeEch (VERSE) Trial for Aphasia after Stroke - Edith Cowan University
Dr Jo Murray
Lecturer, Speech Pathology - Flinders University
Julia Gorton
Speech pathologist - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Katina (Kate) Swan
Lecturer Edith - Cowan University
Dr Kirstine Shrubsole
Lecturer School of Health and human sciences - Southern Cross University
Prof Natalie Ciccone
Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Speech Pathology - Edith Cowan University
A/Prof Petrea Cornwell
Associate Professor, Speech Pathology - Menzies Health Institute
Dr Rachel Wenke
Senior speech pathologist/Research fellow - Gold Coast Health
Dr Sonia Brownsett
Speech pathology Post doc - University of Queensland
Ms Susan Starr
Speech pathologist - St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney

Other

Mr Brendon Haslam / Central post-stroke pain
Physiotherapist, Pain management - University of Melbourne
Dr Ibrahim Jatau Abubakar / Pharmacy
Pharmacist Royal Hobart Hospital
Dr Joosup Kim / Economics
Translational Public Health Unit - Monash University
Dr Lyndal Hickey / Other
Snr Project officer, Evidence base in family services - Dept Health and Human Services
Ms Mali Newman-Plant / Social Work
Social worker - Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Service
Ms Michelle Courtney-Harris / Other
University of technology, Sydney
Prof Tissa Wijeratne / Pain
Western health Melbourne

Lived experience Panel

Ms. Toni Arfaras - Stroke survivor
Ms. Karen Bayly - Stroke survivor
Ms. Kim Beesley - Carer (of daughter)
Mr. Brian Beh - Stroke survivor
Ms. Brenda Booth - Stroke survivor
Ms. Letisha Living - Stroke survivor
Ms. Amy Jennings - Stroke survivor
Ms. Sally Byatt - Stroke survivor
Mr. Eric Knapp - Stroke survivor
Ms. Hannah Derwent - Stroke survivor
Mrs. Jessica D'Lima - Carer (of husband)
Ms. Joan Douglas-Haynes - Carer (of husband)
Mr. Paul Douglas-Haynes - Stroke survivor
Ms. Kim Draper - Stroke survivor
Mrs. Helen Ebzery - Carer (of mum)
Mr. Martin Pace - Stroke survivor
Mr. Tony Finneran - Stroke survivor
Ms. Kylie Head - Stroke survivor
Mr. Clive Kempson - Stroke survivor
Mr. Duncan Mitchell - Stroke survivor
Ms. Elisha Deegan - Stroke survivor
Ms. Samantha Owen - Stroke survivor
Ms. Christine Owens - Carer (of brother)
Ms. Jouna Kolose - Stroke survivor
Ms. Priya Sharma - Stroke survivor
Ms Barbara Wolfenden - Stroke survivor
Ms. Nichola Browning - Carer (of daughter)
Ms. Rebecca Moore - Stroke survivor
Ms. Joanne Hardcastle - Stroke survivor
Ms. Alison Reidy - Stroke survivor
Ms. Kerrie-Anne Teo - Carer (of husband)
Mr. Luke Davies - Stroke survivor
Mr. Brian Mulhern - Stroke survivor
Mr. Gary Kagan - Stroke survivor
Ms. Rosalynd O'Shannassy - Stroke survivor

Project Development Team

Ms. Melita Stirling
Interim National Manager, Evidence, Quality and Research - Stroke Foundation
Ms. Heidi Li
Guidelines Coordinator - Stroke Foundation
Dr. Chris Lassig
Knowledge Translation Coordinator - Stroke Foundation
Mr. Kelvin Hill
Interim Executive Director Stroke Programs, Research and Innovation - Stroke Foundation

Contact

For more information or to consider volunteering in the expert working group, please contact guidelines@strokefoundation.org.au