Stroke patients at Ipswich Hospital are benefitting from some of the fastest access to treatment in the country according to new data, giving Suffolk residents a higher chance of making a good recovery.

Ipswich Star: Dr Rahman Chowdhury at Ipswich HospitalDr Rahman Chowdhury at Ipswich Hospital (Image: Archant)

In the most recent Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) data, Ipswich Hospital was one of just 16 hospitals in the country to score a SSNAP level A across a variety of criteria measuring patient care, placing it in the top 11% of hospitals nationally.

The audit looks at a range of factors, including how quickly patients can access a brain scan, whether they are rapidly transferred to a dedicated stroke unit and how many patients are given clot-busting thrombolysis treatment.

Ipswich Hospital scored particularly high for the measures it has in place to aid recovery and rehabilitation, such as access to physiotherapy and occupational therapy, as well as the way patients are discharged.

Dr Rahman Chowdhury, stroke consultant at Ipswich Hospital, said: “We are proud of the stroke care we provide at Ipswich Hospital and delighted that this latest data has placed us among the country’s best.

“This is fantastic news for our patients as it means they are receiving fast access to high quality, specialist care which will enable them to make the best possible recovery.

“We have made changes to improve the care we provide, and now offer specialist assessment and therapy seven days a week, which means that patients are receiving the appropriate care to meet their needs and consistently across the week.

“We have recently appointed six specialist stroke nurses who will go to ED (emergency department) or other wards to assess patients who have been brought in with a suspected stroke or may have had a stroke during their admission.

“This means they can get early access to specialist assessment and can be rapidly transferred to our stroke unit.

“Acting quickly is essential when someone has suffered a suspected stroke.

“We would urge people to familiarise themselves with the signs of stroke outlined in the Government’s Act FAST campaign and call an ambulance immediately they notice problems with their face, arms or speech.”