HSJ nomination for hyperacute neurology service
The hyperacute neurology service at St George’s has been shortlisted for a prestigious Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value Award.
The team has been shortlisted in the specialist services category for their work to provide a new service for patients with acute neurological disorders, including stroke.
The new service established at St George’s involves patients receiving earlier specialist consultant input in our Emergency Department (ED), Acute Medical Unit and in new emergency ‘hot’ clinics.
This has resulted in fewer admissions of patients into our stroke unit and medical beds, and shorter stays for those who do need to come into hospital. The team’s efforts have also seen more patients being able to go straight home from ED, with appropriate follow-up care in rapid access ‘hot’ clinics if required.
GPs are also now able to refer patients with urgent neurological problems to a specialist clinic at the Trust, where patients are seen within just a few days, instead of waiting weeks for a routine appointment or referring for admission.
Those patients seen in the ED with acute stroke requiring immediate intervention with clot busting drugs – or our new 24/7 thrombectomy service – have also had their treatments more rapidly, which is known to be associated with better outcomes for patients.
Our team of neurology and stroke doctors, supported by the neurosciences booking service, will find out in June if they have been successful, before which they will need to give a presentation to a panel of judges.
The HSJ Value Awards have been running for a number of years, and seek to recognise and reward outstanding efficiency and improvement within the NHS.
Dr Val Jones, Consultant Stroke Physician, said: “This is great news, and the team are delighted to have been recognised. We always want to improve care for our patients and, as a result of strong team-work within our own department, and with other services across the hospital, we have managed to deliver meaningful changes to the care we provide. We hope to be successful in June!”
For further information about the HSJ Value Awards, visit their website.
