Hospital is best in UK on strokes
THE stroke centre at Stepping Hill Hospital has been named the best in the country.
A total of 224 centres were ranked by the Sentinel Stroke Audit Programme – which rates the quality and performance of services from treatment to recovery – and the Stockport centre came out on top.
This is a big improvement for the hospital, which has jumped 50 places up the rankings over the past 18 months.
The centre assesses over 3,000 people suspected to have had a stroke and treats over 1,100 patients a year.
It is one of only three specialist centres in Greater Manchester and also treats patients from east Cheshire.
Stroke is the fourth biggest killed in the UK, with someone suffering one every five minutes, but swift, specialist treatment can make a big difference.
The Stepping Hill stroke centre uses high tech scanners to detect blood clots on the brain and then emergency ‘clot busting’ drugs to break them down.
It also provides patients with a full rehabilitation programme, with a team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists working alongside doctors and nurses. It has treated patients aged 21 to 104.
Roy Miller, 76, from New Mills is recovering at Stepping Hill following a stroke several years ago.
He said: “Having a stroke is very frightening, but the support and reassurance I have had from the staff here has been a huge help.”
Dr Shivakumar Krishnamoorthy, clinical director for stroke services at the hospital, said: “We’re really proud and delighted with the gold standard assessment of our services.
“Having access to the right tests and treatments immediately, such as CT scans, clot busting drugs and specialist stroke therapy, means that stroke patients have a much better chance of recovery.
“Everything we do is about ensuring we provide the highest quality of care for our patients and this achievement is testimonial to the teamwork and dedication of all the staff involved.”
Ann Barnes, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, added: “Our stroke centre seamlessly sews together all aspects of care, bringing experts and equipment under one roof to provide first-class treatment, reducing death rates and long-term disability.”