Care for stroke patients is getting a hi-tech boost in West Norfolk.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn is working together with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) to use video calls to help suspected stroke patients.
The scheme will allow ambulance teams to video call stroke consultants at the hospital whilst still at the patient’s home.
This means they can work together to make sure patients receive the right care in the right place, first time.
Dr Leslie Mtariswa, clinical director for Stroke Medicine at The QEH, explains: “When someone has a stroke, it is so important that they seek medical attention immediately and that they then receive the most appropriate treatment in a timely way.
“Being able to already assess a patient before they’re admitted to hospital supports decision-making for time-critical treatments for those suffering an acute stroke. It also allows us to get patients to the right place with appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.
“We can pre-arrange CT scans on arrival at hospital, improve access to thrombolysis, and allow direct referral to TIA (transient ischaemic attack) clinics where appropriate.
“This is a very exciting development for the Stroke service in King’s Lynn, and one that will have a positive impact on patient outcomes”
Short delays to the treatment of strokes, which are a medical emergency and occur when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off, can be deadly or leave patients with life-changing disabilities.
Rebecca Martin, Medical Director at The QEH, said: “This triage project is a fantastic example of working in partnership to improve patient safety and positive patient outcomes.”
