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.
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.
- Public consultation submission summary – May 2025
- Public consultation submission summary – Jan 2025
- Public consultation submission summary – Oct 2024
- Public consultation submission summary – Oct 2023
- Public consultation submission summary – Jun 2023
- Public consultation submission summary – Oct 2022
- Public consultation submission summary – Jun 2022
- Public consultation submission summary – Sep 2021
- Public consultation submission summary – May 2021
- Public consultation submission summary – Dec 2020
Other documents
Additional documents listed below support our guideline development and implementation.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Dissemination and implementation plan
- Endorsing organisations
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.
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