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Our stroke service rated best in region
Our Trust’s (WSFT) stroke service has once again been rated as providing patients with the highest quality stroke care, putting it first among acute trusts in the eastern region and second in England.
The service has received an “A” rating for the past 26 quarters, more than six years and scored 94 out of 100 in the most recent set of quarterly figures, from July to September 2024 – which is their highest score to date.
The rating, based on national guidelines, has been given by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), a major healthcare quality improvement programme. It measures how well stroke care is being delivered in the NHS across 10 domains, providing information that can be used to improve the quality of care for the approximately 580 patients.
Lead stroke consultant for the Trust, Dr Abul Azim, said: “As a team we are extremely proud of the care we provide to our patients, and it is the combined efforts and achievements of the team that are reflected in the SSNAP audit.
“Every team member is individually proud of their own achievement, taking responsibility and making the extra effort to continue providing high quality care. The audit spans the whole journey of the patient, from before admission to after theircare, and services have to do well in all aspects. We are the only trust in the eastern region that has achieved and maintained an “A” rating across all 10 domains for 26 quarters, since April 2018. It takes a great deal of hard work and commitment to remain at that level for such a long time.”
Karen Hurst, stoke data systems manager at WSFT, said: “What we are aiming for is to maintain a ‘gold standard’ of care. The SSNAP audit examines data from more than 40 key indicators, and we use that data to constantly improve patient care. This is not just a list of dates and times.
“The whole multi-disciplinary team (MDT) is involved, and we work closely with our clinicians to ensure we are always looking at the bigger picture the data is showing us. Our MDT meetings include reviewing the care of every individual patient, examining best practice, what has gone well, whether any changes are needed, and any learning.”
Karen added: “Patients referred from our emergency department or the community are seen at our seven-day-a-week one stop transient ischaemic attack clinic to ensure timely assessment and treatment to prevent stroke. Joined up working continues after patients are discharged, and our early supported discharge service provides therapy at home to continue recovery.”
Dr Azim said: “The service is continuously changing to meet new advances in care and implementing the new NHS clinical guidelines for stroke that were published at the end of 2023. We are piloting video triage of patients at home prior to their arrival in hospital with our colleagues at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust; and developing the use of AI (artificial intelligence) to support complex imaging and diagnosis.”
Dr Ewen Cameron, chief executive, said: “To reach the standard to receive an “A” rating and then to retain it for more than six years is absolutely amazing and testament to the hard work and dedication of every single member of the stroke care team.
“West Suffolk Hospital is a small district general hospital with limited resources, so for the stroke care team to be given the highest possible rating for so long is a truly astonishing achievement. I am immensely proud of what they’ve achieved and the fantastic care they are giving to our patients.”
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