Stroke care changes welcomed by Mid Wales health chief
Treating?all stroke patients in Telford has improved the quality of care for patients including those travelling from Wales, according to a Welsh health chief.
Dr John Morgan, chairman of Montgomeryshire Community Health Council, said the new centralised service – which sees all patients taken to the Princess Royal Hospital – had made a difference. He said all patients were now greeted by specialist stroke registrar on arrival at the unit.
The new system has been in force since the summer, when a shortage of consultants meant the service could not be safely provided at both PRH and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Concern
The move caused concern among residents in both Shropshire and Mid Wales over longer travelling times – but health bosses say the treatment and recovery of patients has been better since because all patients are now receiving specialist care.
Dr Morgan, speaking at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals' NHS Trust board, said: "It's an extra journey time, but the facility to have a specialist stroke registrar meet and greet at the door and take them right through to the thrombolysis suite was excellent."
The most effective treatment for stroke is a clot-busting procedure known as thrombolysis, which greatly increases the chance of recovery. But, because of the risk of haemorrhage, it can only be approved by a consultant.
As there are not enough consultants in Shropshire to guarantee 24-hour care, the decision was made to temporarily focus services in Telford.
The future of other hospital services, including A&E, will be considered during a clinical services review approved by the trust board yesterday. It is expected to result in major changes to the level of service at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals across different specialist departments.
