22.01.18
Kent and Medway bosses reveal plan for £40m ‘hyper acute’ stroke units
NHS leaders in Kent and Medway have unveiled plans to develop three new ‘hyper acute’ stroke units across the region.
In a joint statement, the area’s eight CCGs said the new units would be much better at dealing with people during the first few hours of a stroke and could save lives.
The expected cost of the plans will require around £40m of investment to complete the construction work, provide appropriate equipment at the hospitals, and hire extra staff.
Plans will go to public consultation in February but representatives from the CCGs said there was widespread support for the new services despite it meaning the removal of some urgent stroke services which are currently in place.
Dr David Hargroves, clinical lead for the stroke review, said it was “incredibly good news” that patients would now be able to access the units.
“Currently, although stroke staff do their very best, the way services are organised means that some people do not get the right treatment fast enough, particularly overnight and at weekends,” Hargroves explained.
“Centralising urgent stroke care in three excellent hyper acute stroke units would change all that. Our dedicated staff would then be able to ensure the 3,000 people treated in Kent and Medway for a stroke every year get care which is right up there with the best in the country.”
The new units would replace three of the six current stroke units in the region, with five different options set-out for a potential arrangement of the sites.
Each of the options would provide access to a ‘hyper-acute’ service to 98% of people in Kent and Medway within one hour via ambulance.
Every site will also have an acute stroke unit to give patients expert care after the first 72 hours until they are ready to leave hospital, and a clinic for assessing and treating transient ischaemic attacks.
Dr Diana Hamilton-Fairley, medical director at Medway NHS FT, said: “I am pleased that Medway features in three of the options, however I am absolutely confident that even if there is no hyper acute stroke unit at their nearest hospital, all stroke patients will benefit hugely from getting expert care round the clock.
“What is most important is getting to a specialist unit after a stroke for your assessment and treatment, even if that means taking longer to get there and the ambulance bypassing your nearest hospital.”
She went on to say that similar units in London have been able to reduce the number of people dying after having a stroke by around 100 each year.
The plans are also expected to save money in the long-term because patients are in need of less care once they leave hospital and are less likely to need aid with a disability.
Top image: Gareth Fuller, PA Images
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