This is just to let everyone know that constant vigilance is required from all survivors and caregivers so that we don't go back to caveman days; Can't keep up, you're left to die.
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk_report_s_damning_verdict_on_stroke_care_1_914382
AN independent report has triggered serious concerns over the quality of care given to Suffolk stroke survivors.
AN independent report has triggered serious concerns over the quality of care given to Suffolk stroke survivors.
The Suffolk Local Involvement Network (LINK) has published the findings which highlights worrying issues relating to the hospital treatment and rehabilitation of stroke patients.
Suffolk LINK, an organisation set up to influence NHS and social care services in the county, set up a working party, led by Dr Jean A Macheath, Stella Jackaman and Peter Rose, to look at the “stroke pathways” of the acute hospitals serving patients in the county and the patients’ experiences of long-term” care.
Mrs Jackaman, LINK vice chairman, said that the overall response painted a very worrying picture.
She said: “We were disappointed to find stroke services had not provided the people of Suffolk with the standard of care expected.”
The results show that while performance had improved at both sites, patients at Ipswich and West Suffolk hospitals were still not spending the minimum amount of their stays on stroke units.
Last night Brian Owens, Ipswich Hospital’s associate director of operations, said that although he “did not recognise” some of the statistics included in the report, he felt there was much that could be learnt from it.
He said: “I believe that there are some statements in there that I don’t recognise but there is a lot of learning there that we can take forward.”
He said the hospital’s accelerated stroke pathway programme had already addressed several of the issues and seen patients spend 90% of their stays on stroke wards compared to the 47% claimed in the report for February 2011, making them one of the best and most improved hospitals in the region.
Gwen Nuttall, chief operating officer at West Suffolk Hospital, said: “Providing high quality care for stroke patients is both a local and national priority and something we take extremely seriously. As such, we have been focusing on improving the care we offer for some time.
“During the past year, we have introduced a range of initiatives to improve our stroke services. This includes creating a dedicated stroke unit, carrying out investigations more quickly and streamlining our processes so that patients can be admitted directly onto the stroke unit, in turn giving them faster access to specialist help.
“As a result of this hard work, our performance against all of the key national standards has significantly improved, bringing with it clear benefits for our patients. We will now focus on maintaining this improvement so that we can make sure everyone who suffers a stroke can rapidly access the best possible treatment to meet their needs.”
But the report’s most damning findings related to the rehabilitation of stroke patients.
The report states: “Since the publication of the distressing state of stroke care across Suffolk, much good work has taken place in a move to rectify the situation with some success but the statistics are still well below the expected NICE guidelines in most instances.
“The current system of care mitigates against recovery once ‘on the mend’ in
hospital. The same is true on leaving hospital. This is due to the lack of encouragement to participate in any form of activity – social physical, cultural, etc. or return to the work scene.
“Too many survivors on leaving hospital are left to their own devices coming from an environment of ‘do what the doctors and nurses say’ into the community environment where all decisions must be made by them.
“This is true of all patients leaving hospital not just the stroke survivors bit - for them it is perhaps a much bigger step forward.
“The stroke rehabilitation phase in hospital should involve activity, daily living skills, stimulation of the brain, moving about, walking regularly, and not just sitting and waiting to be told to do things. Initiative is part of the rehabilitation process.”
Tracy Dowling, director of strategic commissioning for NHS Suffolk, said that the report did not give enough consideration the ongoing “significant improvements” of the past year.
She said: “It’s quite a small sample but I do recognise the themes that are raised that are important to patients.
“There are some things in the report that I think (are base on) information that is out of date but the themes absolutely resonate about where we need to improve and in Suffolk I think patients who have a stroke now have access to thrombolysis 24/7 and our percentage of patients spending 90% of their time on stroke wards is one of the best in the east of England.”
We just have to make sure survivors define the 'standard of care'
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