Stark warning on future for stroke services in the county

Posted: Published on April 2nd, 2014

This post was added by Dr Simmons

NHS stroke services in Herefordshire could go within a month

11:11am Tuesday 1st April 2014 in News By Bill Tanner

NHS stroke services in the county could be lost within a month unless patient numbers increase by as much as five times the present figure.

A stark warning for the future of stroke services was spelt out to a meeting of the Wye Valley NHS Trust (WVT) Board this week.

That future could see stroke patients travelling at least as far as Worcester or Gloucester for treatment.

The board heard that funding for the services is an outstanding issue between WVT and the Herefordshire Clinical Commission Group (HCCG) as both prepare budgets for 2014-15.

WVT, the board heard, cannot continue to provide a service that is under-resourced" and known to be sub-optimal.

Stroke services are already on the Trusts high risk list over the provision of hyperacute stroke facilities and staff with relevant competencies to support patients needing thombolysis treatment with clot busting drugs.

WVT has developed a business case for investment in the service needed to meet national performance standards. That case has the service needing 1m a year to make it viable and handling up to five times the present demand.

But according to existing NHS service tariffs, the county, with one confirmed case a day, has too few cases to support an acute stroke service.

Originally posted here:
Stark warning on future for stroke services in the county

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