Stroke is a crucially time dependant 999 Emergency Service for ALL the POPULATION of Northern Ireland – no matter where they live – URBAN or RURAL. The location of stroke units is vitally important so that immediate access is available for ALL.

HSCNI Reshaping Stroke Care proposals 2019 do not reflect the URGENCY of the complete stroke pathway – especially from ONSET OF STROKE TO ARRIVAL IN HOSPITAL for ALL the population of Northern Ireland.

> Every delay in time in treating stroke patients will cost lives – not save lives.

The Royal College of Physicians states the best outcome for patients is achieved when the time from onset of Stroke to treatment is as SHORT as possible:

“So the more we can do both to reduce the time taken from the start of symptoms to arrival in hospital, and from arrival in hospital to treatment, the less disability people will suffer.”

[Royal College of Physicians SSNAP Report 2016.]

Newry Mourne and Down (which includes South Armagh) is the 3rd highest population in Northern Ireland with a population of 179,000 (105,000 living in a rural area).

Why does this local government district and other rural areas in Northern Ireland have to COMPROMISE YET AGAIN for life saving 999 EMERGENCY services, while all 6 proposed options in the Consultation include: Belfast, Derry and Craigavon.

Belfast, Derry and Craigavon areas do not even need to answer the consultation document, because in this Department of Health Stroke Consultation, Reshaping Stroke Care 2019’, they are guaranteed a Hyperacute Stroke Unit co located with Acute Stroke Unit on their doorstep.

CONCLUSION
Nothing justifies the removal of Stroke services from the long established combined specialist Acute Stroke/ Rehabilitation Unit in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City (the only one of its kind in the Southern Trust).

OPTIONS
Daisy Hill Hospital’s Specialist Stroke Unit in Newry must feature in the proposed 2019 NI Stroke Consultation Options.

It must be retained and enhanced to a Hyperacute Stroke Unit co-located with an Acute Stroke Unit as part of the LONG TERM future plan for Stroke Services in NI- so the dedicated staff can continue to save lives and reduce disability if the DoH NI wants to save lives with better outcomes.

For more info on this topic – see https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2019/05/05/ni-stroke-consultation-2019-overview/ and
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2019/05/05/ni-consultation-document-does-not-fully-follow-the-research-evidence-referred-to/

You can follow the Daisy Hill Acute Hospital campaign also by visiting and liking our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ – Thank you.