Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry City has the ONLY existing Specialist combined Acute Stroke Rehabilitation Unit in the whole Southern Trust area. So, it is vital that it is ENHANCED for the LONG term, in any future planning of stroke services in NI. It cannot be forgotten how many lives the staff are saving.
Those planning stroke services in NI must show appreciation for the specialist staff in Daisy Hill, and all other acute hospitals, as well as the ambulance staff who work tirelessly 24/7 to save lives. They cannot be taken for granted any longer, by anyone.

THE RIGHT PLACE FOR A HYPER ACUTE STROKE UNIT, STROKE UNIT & TIA CLINICS
Newry City is the right place for a Hyper-acute Stroke Unit – and this should be co-located with our EXISTING combined Specialist Acute Stroke Rehabilitation Unit – THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND in the SOUTHERN TRUST.

When planning future stroke services in NI, it is also important to consider how people can get to/attend the services. People who have a TIA (or ‘mini stroke’), that are at high risk of experiencing a major stroke episode in the future, should NOT be expected to travel to centralised TIA clinics and travel long distances by taxi/ bus to these TIA clinics.

Many people have no access to a car, or a driver to transport them. It should be made EASIER for patients to access a Hyperacute stroke unit, stroke unit & TIA clinics services – not harder, so these should all be located in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry City

EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF STROKE PATHWAY

24/7 EMERGENCY services in Daisy Hill are a KEY COMPONENT of the existing Stroke Pathway. Followed by DIRECT ADMISSION to our specialist acute Stroke Rehabilitation Unit, which is within the same hospital.
This already saves lives with better outcomes.

CONCLUSION
RIGHT STAFF > RIGHT LOCATION> RIGHT TRANSPORT LINKS.

We have the right specialist staff and Daisy Hill Acute Hospital located in Newry City (with its good transport links).
It is in the right location to cater for all the population of the wide expanse of the Southern part of NI to access all stroke services, Emergency services and all other specialist acute hospital services and clinics in a safe, timely way.

Newry & Mourne locality including South Armagh is the largest locality in the Southern Trust. It also has the 4th largest population in NI (and is projected to be the 3rd highest in NI by 2023).

We are entitled to have the same acute hospital specialist services and clinics as Altnagelvin Hospital.

Please join with us and respond to this Reshaping Stroke Services NI Pre-Consultation.
Your life could depend on it. Responses should be returned to the Health and Social Care Board by 5.00pm on Friday 15 September 2017.

More detail to help understand the Questions in the 2017 Stroke Pre – Consultation Document is available on the Daisy Hill for Life facebook page.

Want to respond but short of time?  – we have prepared a quick SHORT ANSWER word document for people to view or download. This document  with short answers is available by clicking on the link that follows here > Reshaping Stroke Services Answers.

These answers have been researched and the full explanations are available to see on the Daisy Hill for Life facebook page too if you need to check the reasons why.

After reading the answers we have suggested, if you’re thinking the same way,  – you can copy and paste the answers into the online questionnaire at  www.hscboard.hscni.net/response-form-stroke along with your own comments and answers.

FOR ALL CONSULTATION DOCS and QUESTIONNAIRE – Go to:
http://www.hscboard.hscni.net/stroke/

Here you can download a version of the questionnaire to send as an attachment, or you can complete it online.

(If you download a version to type onto, you will have your own copy.)

Here are some of the ways that you can respond to the Reshaping Stroke services plans:

1. Email: ReshapingStroke@hscni.net

2. Complete the questionnaire online at
www.hscboard.hscni.net/response-form-stroke

3. Write to: Reshaping Stroke Services, Health and Social Care Board, 12-22 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BS (Telephone: Tel 028 9536 3054)

Before you submit your response – please read the annex of the Reshaping Stroke Services in NI -Pre-consultation Document (p51-52) regarding the confidentiality of responses in the context of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Responses must be in to the Health and Social Care Board by 5pm Fri 15 Sept 2017