Integrated services which utilise the expertise of team members along care pathways are evolving. Changes in service structure and subsequent team working arrangements can be a challenge for practitioners expected to redefine how they work with one another. These services are particularly important for the care of frail older people. This exploratory study of one newly forming team presents the views of staff involved in establishing an interprofessional healthcare advisory team for older people within an acute hospital admissions unit. Staff experiences of forming a new service are aligned to a model of team development. The findings are presented as themes relating to the stages of team development and identify the challenges of setting up an integrated service alongside existing services. In particular, team process issues relating to the clarity of goals, role clarification, leadership, team culture and identity. Managers must allow time to ensure new services evolve before setting up evaluation studies for efficiency and effectiveness which might prove against the potential for interprofessional teamworking.

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Background/Aims: To explore patients', with mild to moderate stroke, and their carers' experiences after a stroke and to explore their perceptions of healthy lifestyles. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken with 20 people (12 males and 8 females) with mild to moderate stroke or transient ischaemic attack (1 week to 6 months' post event) and seven of their carers. Each interview was transcribed and a thematic analysis approach guided the analytic process. Results: Patients with sub-acute, mild to moderate stroke were positive about healthy lifestyles and their ability to achieve them post stroke. Three core themes were identified: perceptions related to exercise; perceptions related to other lifestyle factors; and understanding of stroke and healthy lifestyles. Conclusions: In the sub-acute phase of stroke recovery, barriers to exercise such as lack of motivation do not appear to be an issue. People with stroke have a lack of understanding of healthy guidelines, risk factors and cause of their stroke. It is not clear if this is due to a lack of information provision or a lack of recall. They also do not appear to make the link between lifestyle choices and the cause of their stroke.

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