Bristol area stroke treatment services reorganised

Scanners like this one at Southmead Hospital can help doctors see where clots occur in the brain

Health bosses have agreed to reorganise how stroke patients are cared for in the Bristol area to improve their rehabilitation prospects.

They say the changes will save at least 12 more lives across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The plans will see a new unit set up at Southmead Hospital to deal with all stroke patients from the area.

Dr Phil Clatworthy, from the North Bristol NHS Trust, said: "This will help people regain their independence."

He added: "Bringing everyone from the region to Southmead should save 12 lives a year, and 50 or 60 people should be independent after a stroke who wouldn't be otherwise."

The Clinical Commissioning Group's shake-up will cost the NHS an extra £3.5 million a year.

The new unit will bring together staff and expertise in Southmead Hospital, with two inpatient rehabilitation units at Weston General Hospital and South Bristol Community Hospital.

Stephen Hill suffered a stroke six years ago

Each year an estimated 1,500 people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire experience a stroke, with around 160 of them dying.

Stephen Hill, from Bristol, is still living with the life-changing consequences of a stroke. It was six years ago when he was admitted to Southmead after a bleed in his brain.

"I was medically looked after really well," he said.

"But physiotherapy and other types of therapy were only available five days a week so there were long weekends when I was just in a bed unable to do anything.

"I know from my own experience that far too many local people have had varying experiences of services depending on where and when their stroke hit."

A single ‘Hyper-Acute Stroke Unit’ at Southmead Hospital will provide 24/7 emergency treatment for everyone in the area

The new plans would allow a team of therapists to offer rehabilitation to stroke patients seven days week.

The hospital also has specialist scanners that can identify exactly where a clot is and whether it can be removed.

Dr Chris Burton, clinical lead for the stroke programme, said that any extra travelling time for patients from Weston-super-Mare should not be an issue.

"We know that going to a specialist centre gets you better outcomes than going to the local hospital first," he said.

"We can get people to Southmead Hospital in an ambulance in 45 minutes, within the window required for excellent stroke care."