Leadership roles:

  • Clinical Lead for HHFT Stroke Services
  • Clinical Lead for Wessex Integrated Stroke Delivery Network
  • Regional Training Programme Director for Stroke Medicine
  • HHFT Associate Clinical Sub-Dean, Univeresity of Southampton
  • BIASP Training and Education sub-committee elected member

Specialist interests:

  • Stroke Medicine
  • Medical Education

Training and education:

  • MBChB (Honours) Liverpool Medical School 2004
  • MRCP London 2007 SCE Geriatric Medicine RCP London
  • MSc Med Ed. (UCL)

Experience:

Dr Zehra Mehdi is a Consultant Stroke Physician, Clinical Lead for Hampshire Hospitals' Stroke Services and the Regional Clinical Lead for the Wessex Stroke Delivery Network.
 

Dr Mehdi trained at Liverpool Medicine School, graduating with honours in 2004. She undertook her Specialist Registrar training in South East London, specialising in Geriatric, General Internal and Stroke Medicine. She undertook her Stroke fellowship at King's College and St Thomas's hospital.
 
During her registrar training, Dr Mehdi spent two years in South Africa, helping to establish a dedicated stroke unit at the Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg. On her return to the UK, Zehra completed her registrar training in the Wessex Deanery which included time with Hampshire Hospitals.
 
Dr Mehdi has a Master’s Degree in Medical Education from University College London and the Royal College of Physicians. This has led to a major commitment to leadership in medical education; Zehra has served as the Associate Clinical Sub-Dean for the Trust since 2022, and has been the Wessex Training Programme Director for Stroke Medicine since 2021. In 2024, she was elected to the Training and Education subcommittee of the British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians.

Dr Mehdi is passionate about simulation based medical education and set up the Wessex stroke simulation course in 2016. Recently she has helped pioneer a national stroke simulation programme which provides standardised multidisciplinary training to healthcare professionals across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. 

 

Research:

  1. Mehdi Z. A pilot audit of acute stroke management in rural South Africa - Age and Ageing 2011, ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/suppl_2
  2. Mehdi Z, Birns J, Bhalla A. Post-stroke urinary incontinence - International Journal of Clinical Practice 2013;67(11):1128-37
  3. Mehdi Z, Roots A, Ernst T, Birns J, Ross A, Reedy G, Jaye P. Simulation training for geriatric medicine - The Clinical Teacher 2014;11(5):387-392
  4. Birns J, Mehdi Z, Dasgupta D. Editorial on Simulation training for geriatric medicine - European Geriatric Medicine 2014;5(1):1-2.
  5. Frisby J, Mehdi Z, Birns J. Inter-professional learning on a stroke unit - The Clinical Teacher 2014;11:1-5.
  6. Mehdi Z, Birns J, Partridge J, Bhalla A, Dhesi J. Peri-operative management of stroke patients undergoing non-cardiac non-carotid surgery - Clinical Medicine 2016;16(6):535-40.
  7. Mehdi Z, and Mehlool P. Urinary and Bowel Complications - Management of post-stroke complications, edited by Ajay Bhalla and Jonatha Birns.2016.
  8. Mehdi Z, Cardoso I, Marigold JRG. Regional Stroke Simulation Training for General Internal Medicine Registrars and Stroke Nurse Practitioners to Improve delivery of Thrombolysis and Thrombectomy. International Journal of Stroke 2018, Vol. 13(3S) 10–65.
  9. Evans NR, Minhas JS, Mehdi Z, Mistri. Incorporating Simulation-Based Education into Stroke Training – Stroke 2020, 52 (1), e6-e9. https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.120.031056
  10. Cardoso I, Mehdi Z, Marigold J, Dharmasiri M, Siddegowda S. A Regional Stroke simulation programme to improve acute stroke training for front-door healthcare professionals. International Journal of Stroke 2020, Vo. 15 (1S) 314
  11. Mehdi Z, Williams S, Jackson S, Pattoo. An inter-professional simulation training programme for stroke nurses and allied health professionals to improve management of post stroke complications. International Journal of Stroke 2020, Vol. 15 (1S) 313.
  12. Mehdi Z, Williams S, Dyer L, Eglington C, McCarthy B, Gowling E. Development of a multimodal virtual stroke education programme for the stroke multi-disciplinary team (Abstract) International Journal of Stroke 2020, Vol 15 (1S) 313.
  13. Mehdi Z, Williams S, Sanders C. Phase 2 of a multi-disciplinary multi-modal stroke simulation programme to improve the recognition and management of common post stroke complications European Stroke Journal 2022. Volume 7, Issue 1_suppl: ESOC 2022 Abstract Supplement, 4-6.
  14. R. Marigold, A. Wells, E. Price, S. Ragab, B. Jupp, Z. Mehdi, W. Longley, K. Findlay, A. Pitt Ford, S. Ivatts. Same Day Repatriation For Patients Having Been Treated For Mechanical Thrombectomy (Mt) - Reflections On Current Practice And Changes To Our Regional Pathway In Wessex. International Journal of StrokeVolume 19, Issue 1_suppl, February 2024, Pages 3-139.
  15. C. Lau, Z. Mehdi, C. Sanders, S. Williams, L. Dyer, F. EnglisH. New Ways Of Working: Embedding Advanced Clinical Practitioners (Acp) Into An Acute Stroke Service. International Journal of StrokeVolume 19, Issue 1_suppl, February 2024, Pages 3-139.
  16. C. Lau, Z. Mehdi, C. Sanders, S. Williams, S. Wilson, R. Anwar, L. Dyer, M. Mathew, J. asarwanji. Nip It In The Bud: Creation Of A Marginal Gains Data Analysis Model: A Database, A Dashboard And A Monthly Rag (Red, Amber, Green) Chart. International Journal of Stroke. Volume 19, Issue 1_suppl, February 2024, Pages 3-139.
  17. Mehdi Z, Hlaing SW, Khalifehsoltani A, Lau C. Mechanical Thrombectomy Outcomes In Patients With Frailty & Utility Of The Clinical Frailty Scale To Guide Referral Decisions. European Stroke Journal 2024, Volume 9, Issue 1_suppl: 10th ESOC 2024 Abstract.
  18. Sherman E, Mehdi Z, Shaw L. Development Of A Nationwide Stroke Simulation Programme – The Uk And Republic Of Ireland Acute Stroke Simulation Course (Assc). European Stroke Journal 2024, Volume 9, Issue 1_suppl: 10th ESOC 2024 Abstract.
  19. Mehdi Z, Adeniji P, Attwell R, Nasarwanji J, Hill B. Development Of A Multi-Faceted Electronic Mouthcare Strategy to Address Rates of Stroke Associated Pneumonia at Hampshire Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust. International Journal of Stroke. Volume 19 • Issue 3S • December 2024, UKSF.
  20. Sherman E, Mehdi Z, Shaw L. The Development Of A Nationwide Multi-Disciplinary Stroke Simulation Faculty. International Journal of Stroke. Volume 19 • Issue 3S • December 2024, UKSF.
  21. S. Williams, Z. Mehdi, C. Sanders, C. Lau, M. Simpson, N. Smyth, L. Sykes, E. Tone, J. Kelly, L. Darrah. Incorporating gamification into a Stroke thrombolysis case review meeting to improve thrombolysis rates and promote collaborative working – a TASC programme initiative at Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust. International Journal of Stroke. Volume 20 • Issue 3S • November 2025, p3-127.
  22. H. Palmer-Davis, S. Lakhani, Z. Mehdi, M. Cooper, K. Leekha, C. Lau. A targeted stroke public awareness campaign using demographic postcode analysis to address health inequalities in delivery of thrombolysis in Hampshire. International Journal of Stroke. Volume 19 • Issue 3S • December 2025, p3-127.