http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/14523725.Big_improvements_in_performance_follow_changes_to_Gwent_stroke_services/
CHANGES to the way stroke services are provided in Gwent are
delivering big improvements in the care of patients in hospital and
after discharge, early figures show.
A new stroke care pathway for patients was launched in January and a single hyper-acute stroke unit - at the Royal Gwent Hospital - began admitting new patients from across Gwent.
And stroke service performance has since improved against a range of UK standards measuring factors such as the time it takes for patients to be admitted, to receive a CT scan, and to be assessed by stroke consultants and nurses.
Lengths of stay in hospital, either in the hyper-acute unit, or in a specialist acute stroke rehab ward are also falling, with the work of a new community neuro-rehab service helping patients cope at home.
New figures indicate that direct admission to a stroke unit within four hours was achieved for 66 per cent of patients in Gwent in March - up from less than 20 per cent in November - and the figures for April and May are above 70 per cent.
Close to 95 per cent of stroke patients in May will have received a CT scan within 12 hours, up from 71.4 per cent in April.
At the Royal Gwent, during the past 12 months, 72 per cent of patients have been assessed by a consultant within 24 hours. But during January-March this year, performance has been at 99 per cent, the best in Wales.
Assessments by a stroke nurse within 24 hours are currently running at 100 per cent.
Lead stroke physician Dr Yaqoob Bhat is delighted with the improvements and believes there is more to come.
"Providing a uniform service for everyone is vital, and we now have one hyper-acute stroke unit and a seven-day service," he said.
"It is very hard work, very challenging, but we are heading in the right direction, improving the service."(Are you improving the results?)
He added that having a stroke specialist in the emergency department means assessments can be made quickly, speeding up the pathway for procedures such as scans and reviews.
If patients are considered medically stable enough to be discharged from the hyper-acute unit or a stroke rehab ward, they come under the care of the community neuro-rehab service.
This can involve input from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech and language therapy, nursing and psychology.
After 74- year-old Jean McCook, of Alway, Newport, had a stroke last December, she could not initially move her legs and arms, and was affected down her left side.
"Jean was quite severely affected and when she came home she was having to sleep downstairs," said Adele Griffiths, acting clinical manager for the service.
"We can come in on a daily basis or once or twice a week. It's about working with people to reconstruct meaningful lives."
Mrs McCook said the team has helped her get her mobility back more quickly, and helped her confidence too.
"They've been fantastic," she said.
A new stroke care pathway for patients was launched in January and a single hyper-acute stroke unit - at the Royal Gwent Hospital - began admitting new patients from across Gwent.
And stroke service performance has since improved against a range of UK standards measuring factors such as the time it takes for patients to be admitted, to receive a CT scan, and to be assessed by stroke consultants and nurses.
Lengths of stay in hospital, either in the hyper-acute unit, or in a specialist acute stroke rehab ward are also falling, with the work of a new community neuro-rehab service helping patients cope at home.
New figures indicate that direct admission to a stroke unit within four hours was achieved for 66 per cent of patients in Gwent in March - up from less than 20 per cent in November - and the figures for April and May are above 70 per cent.
Close to 95 per cent of stroke patients in May will have received a CT scan within 12 hours, up from 71.4 per cent in April.
At the Royal Gwent, during the past 12 months, 72 per cent of patients have been assessed by a consultant within 24 hours. But during January-March this year, performance has been at 99 per cent, the best in Wales.
Assessments by a stroke nurse within 24 hours are currently running at 100 per cent.
Lead stroke physician Dr Yaqoob Bhat is delighted with the improvements and believes there is more to come.
"Providing a uniform service for everyone is vital, and we now have one hyper-acute stroke unit and a seven-day service," he said.
"It is very hard work, very challenging, but we are heading in the right direction, improving the service."(Are you improving the results?)
He added that having a stroke specialist in the emergency department means assessments can be made quickly, speeding up the pathway for procedures such as scans and reviews.
If patients are considered medically stable enough to be discharged from the hyper-acute unit or a stroke rehab ward, they come under the care of the community neuro-rehab service.
This can involve input from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech and language therapy, nursing and psychology.
After 74- year-old Jean McCook, of Alway, Newport, had a stroke last December, she could not initially move her legs and arms, and was affected down her left side.
"Jean was quite severely affected and when she came home she was having to sleep downstairs," said Adele Griffiths, acting clinical manager for the service.
"We can come in on a daily basis or once or twice a week. It's about working with people to reconstruct meaningful lives."
Mrs McCook said the team has helped her get her mobility back more quickly, and helped her confidence too.
"They've been fantastic," she said.
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