21.03.12
More stroke patients receive thrombolysis
Treatment for stroke patients is improving, according to the latest statistics from the Stroke Improvement National Audit Programme (SINAP).
The number of patients receiving thrombolysis, or clot-busting treatment, following a stroke rose from 1% in 2008 to 8% this year. 53% of patients were admitted to a stroke unit within four hours of arrival at a hospital.
Patients treated in specialist units have better outcomes, so trusts which do not currently admit patients directly to stroke units should reconsider their pathways of care, the report suggested.
The report also found that incontinent patients only had a clear continence management plan in 57% of cases, which needs improvement.
The audit was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and run by the Royal College of Physicians’ stroke programme.
Professor Tony Rudd, chair of the Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party and director of the RCP stroke programme, said: “Acute stroke services are improving inEnglandalbeit from a low base. Not all hospitals contributed to this national audit and one has to be concerned that the quality of care in the non participating hospitals may be lagging behind those who have been willing to share their data.
“We will be working hard to increase participation as I believe that publically available data comparing each hospital against their peers is a very powerful tool to improve the quality of care.”
Dr Pippa Tyrrell, clinical lead for SINAP, said: “While care is improving in hospitals that participate in the audit, we would encourage all hospitals who care for stroke patients to submit all of their data for scrutiny because this is a very important driver to improve care for everyone with acute stroke.”
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