Why do stroke services need to change
NHS Somerset is committed to understanding the needs of the local population. This is to ensure we can continue to deliver the best possible healthcare services in Somerset.
We’re proud of the care that our stroke staff provide. While our staff are working hard to provide the best care possible for people who have had a stroke, we know that our acute hospital based stroke services are not set up in the best way.
In Somerset, our ageing population means demand for stroke care will increase. There is a shortage of the specialist workforce, locally and nationally, needed to deliver hyper acute stroke care. This means there are problems with medical cover in our local hospitals.
We can’t provide 24/7 specialist stroke care. Neither hyper acute stroke unit in Somerset has the number of specialist staff needed to provide consultant cover 24/7. This means that both hyper acute stroke units have different hours when a stroke consultant and specialist stroke staff are available.
We’re not set up to maximise the skills and experience of our staff. Currently, Yeovil District Hospital doesn’t see the minimum recommended number of stroke patients (500–600 per year) for staff to maintain their skills and build expertise.
We don’t always provide treatments fast enough. Increasingly, there are new and specialised treatments to reduce brain damage and disability after a stroke. These require highly skilled staff, and the latest technology and services. As our expertise is currently spread over two sites, we’re unable to offer this level of service at both acute hospitals all of the time.
National evidence shows that when emergency stroke treatment and care is centralised into a centre of excellence, known as a hyper acute stroke unit, more people survive a stroke. This means individuals can get home quicker and go on to live fulfilling lives.
By changing the way stroke services in Somerset are organised we could:
- Make sure that everyone has access to our specialist teams and treatments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Meet the national standards for stroke care.
- Support staff better, and attract and retain the specialist staff needed.
- Make the best use of resources to create a service fit for the future.
- Save more lives and help more people live well after stroke.
