People urged to have their say on stroke services

PEOPLE are being urged to have their say on plans to reform stroke services.
The first stage of the Coventry and Warwickshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) – which covers NHS spending over the next five years in a bid to save £267million – has seen proposals to cut all 12 specialist stroke beds at Warwick Hospital, and remove treatment facilities for those at risk of mini-strokes.
George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton would have some beds turned into rehab beds but lose acute beds, as would Rugby St Cross.
All patients from across Warwickshire will instead be taken to University Hospital Coventry (UHCW), where an extra six ‘hyper-acute’ care beds are being made available for those who have just suffered a stroke – taking the total beds up to 12.
And now the public have been asked to voice their opinions on the plans.
On Thursday (July 27) representatives from three local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) will be on hand to hear views. The session will be held between 10:30 and 12:30 at Queens Road Baptist Church on Queens Road in Coventry.
For those who cannot attend the event there is an online survey.
CCG spokeswoman Andrea Green said: “Our proposals cover the configuration of hospital services, but we have also taken into account the views of local patients, stroke survivors and carers about having more immediate rehabilitation care at home after a stroke.
“Also taken into consideration is the need to have a sustainable specialist workforce for stroke care, and our proposal describes developing a team of stroke professionals working together to improve stroke care, irrespective of whether they work in the hospital or home.
“As the organisations that buy services for stroke patients, the three CCGs know that if the best care in the right place at the right time is provided we estimate that the lives of 100 local people can be saved and disability reduced for many people who survive a stroke.
“Our current services in the area do not meet national best practice and the CCGs have therefore been working with the three local hospitals and rehabilitation staff to look at all of the possible ways to deliver stroke services and stroke rehabilitation across Coventry and Warwickshire.  Other areas have already made changes to improve stroke services, and we would like to start to achieve this for our population as soon as possible.”
Visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NHSstrokeservices by Friday (July 28) to fill out the survey.