AFTER years of planning, a new approach that will change the way stroke patients in Coventry and Warwickshire will receive care came into effect on September 1.
A need for a new stroke pathway was highlighted in an analysis conducted between 2016 and 2019.
The analysis identified unwanted variation in the range and quality of service, but now patients across Coventry and Warwickshire will all receive the same treatment.
All patients will initially be treated at Coventry University Hospital’s stroke unit, and those who need continued care will be transferred to a bedded rehabilitation unit at either George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton or Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital in Warwick.
Those who don’t need continued hospital treatment but do require specialist support will be treated at home by the Community Stroke Rehabilitation Service.
The stroke pathway changes bring Coventry and Warwickshire in line with other areas of Britain, and health leaders believe patients will start to see immediate benefits from this £4 million overhaul.
Dr Anthony Kenton, Consultant Stroke Neurologist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, said: “We are committed to providing the highest possible standard of care for all stroke patients across Coventry and Warwickshire.
“These changes mean that patients, no matter where they live in the region, will receive the same high-quality treatment and have the best possible chance of recovery.
“Timely and effective treatment is crucial to maximising a patient’s chances of recovering from a stroke, and patients will start seeing the benefits from the new pathway right away.”
