Super units needed for stroke care - Stroke Association response

Researchers at University College London say that stroke care needs to be centralised in large specialist units in a radical shake-up of hospitals.

A new study has found that an overhaul of services in London which focused care at eight centres was saving 96 lives a year.

Dr Shamim Quadir, Research Communications Manager at the Stroke Association, said: “It has long been recognised that rapid, specialist medical treatment for stroke patients saves lives and reduces costs for the NHS. This latest research reveals that, without the centralised stroke service available to Londoners, around 96 people would have died following a stroke.

“It’s clear that access to Hyper Acute Stroke Units helps more people make a better recovery following a stroke. Every stroke patient should have access to high quality, life-saving care: centralising stroke care in hospitals throughout other large UK cities has the potential to save thousands of lives.”