The new programme, launched by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, will include prevention, diagnosis, and monitoring services, and will also see three new stroke rehabilitation centres open in North Wales.
The rehabilitation centres will assist patients who no longer need medical care in acute hospitals but still need therapy and support which cannot be provide in the home.
The improvement programme was approved back in March 2021 and was awarded £3 million to help improve on the existing stroke services in North Wales.
The new funding will help to support the main for objective of the Stroke plan, which are to:
- Improve stroke prevention and early intervention.
- Establish Stroke specialist inpatient community rehabilitation units.
- Implement an Early Supported Discharge (ESD) service
- Strengthen existing acute services
Rob Smith, Stroke Improvement Programme Director, said: “This is a fantastic programme and a really important development in stroke care for the people of North Wales. The new developments will build on the existing services provided by our specialist hospital stroke staff.
“This a multi-phased project with the new services to be launched as the programme is rolled out.”
The first of the three rehabilitation centres is planned to open in Ysbyty Eryri, Caernarfon in a few months’ time. Th remaining two centres will be opened in Central and East North Wales
Gareth Bowdler, Medical Director (East), said: “Ever since the Interstroke study in 2016 was carried out we have known that about 90% of strokes are attributable to 10 modifiable risk factors, and working collaboratively with GPs we will aim to reduce the incidence of stroke by focussing on these risk factors.”
The new community inpatient rehabilitation centres will help to bridge the current gap in post-stroke care by helping stroke sufferers achieve maximum recovery.
Prevention services will include improving atrial fibrillation (AF) detection which impacts around 20 percent of strokes in the UK, according to the Stroke Association.
