Stroke unit opens 10 years after NHS review

The Stroke Unit at Maidstone Hospital can care for over 1,000 patients a year

A new Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) has officially opened at Maidstone Hospital, 10 years after a review into stroke services was first launched.

The Kent and Medway Stroke Review was commissioned in 2014 in response to concerns about the performance and sustainability of hospital stroke services.

In 2018 NHS bosses approved the creation of three HASUs, in Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford.

Miles Scott, chief executive for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), said: “I am delighted we are now able to provide an environment for stroke patients which reflects the quality of care provided by stroke colleagues on a daily basis."

The Stroke Association said introducing HASUs "usually involves concentrating services onto fewer sites and creating large centres of excellence operating 24/7 with the best equipment and clinicians under one roof".

"During this process, smaller neighbouring stroke units may be either closed or changed to stroke rehabilitation wards," added the spokesperson.

Protesters in East Kent fought to keep stroke services local

The new HASU is the first of three specialist units to open in Kent and Medway, and provides capacity for 14 beds.

Another HASU at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford is yet to open.

The third HASU at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford has been delayed with no date set for its opening.

In a statement, the East Kent Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (EKH) said: "We are fully committed to providing outstanding care, and outcomes of stroke services for patients across east Kent.

"This includes delivering the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) at the William Harvey Hospital."

The spokesperson added that the stroke unit at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital continues to provide stroke outcomes for patients "consistently among the best nationally".

Catherine Mandri is clinical lead for stroke at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

The new unit means patients do not need to go through the emergency department first, and can "quickly receive the care they need in the right place at the right time".

The includes rehabilitation care post stroke and the hospital's clinical lead for stroke, Catherine Mandri, said: "The environment means we can assess their needs and makes sure we give them the best evidence based care."

In a statement the MTW NHS Trust said the new stroke unit included a dedicated stroke assessment bay "where 90% of suspected stroke admissions are directly brought in on arrival", meaning patients do not need to go through A&E first.

The trust added: "Together with the newly developed ASU, which provides 35 beds, the Trust’s Stroke Unit now has capacity to care for over 1,000 patients a year, an increase of 30% since 2019".

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.