BHRUT among best in country at treating stroke patients
Devesh Sinha, a leading stroke doctor at the trust, said he was so proud of the entire team. Picture: BHR Hospitals - Credit: Archant
Queen’s Hospital has been praised for dramatically improving its treatment of stroke patients.
The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) rates stroke treatment at hospitals around the country from A, the best rating, to E, the worst.
In 2016, Queen’s, run by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT), abruptly fell from B to D.
However, the service has now been given the highest rating after improvements led to a 25 per cent drop in patient deaths and the average hospital stay getting four days shorter.
Devesh Sinha, a leading stroke doctor at the trust, said he was “so proud of the entire team” and the “more reliable, faster and consistent service” for patients.
You may also want to watch:
He said: “Across two years we made over 40 changes to improve our service. Among the most important, was creating a culture of constant improvement by encouraging everyone to innovate.
“We have daily huddles where every staff member can give an idea to help us improve – this is great for our team as they feel empowered and has helped us recruit and retain the best people.
Most Read
- 1 Deadline looming to comment on Market Place development plans
- 2 Met officers used 'excessive force' during Romford fight
- 3 Jailed: Dagenham car burglar after 100mph pursuit in Romford
- 4 Man and two boys charged with murder of Daniel Laskos in Harold Wood
- 5 Heritage: Is it Romford or Rumford? You decide
- 6 Woman 'repulsed and sick' after finding bug in Lidl yoghurt
- 7 'No one deserves that': Neighbours 'traumatised' by triple stabbing
- 8 May 17: What can't open when Covid-19 lockdown rules ease?
- 9 Why Romford MP is allowed to keep names of donors secret
- 10 Havering electoral wards face axe as borough is split into 20 areas
“Most importantly, we’ve made sustainable changes so we can ensure we continue to provide a high standard of care to all stroke patients.”
In 2016, SSNAP raised concerns that some patients were not being seen by a stroke-trained nurse within their first 24 hours in hospital and that there were not enough nurses at weekends.
It also pointed out patients were not receiving enough post-stroke therapy, particularly speech and language therapy, and that only a small number of patients were able to see a psychologist.
Improvements made since the report include changing consultants’ work patterns to match demand and introducing a virtual ward so patients can be seen from their own homes.
These changes have allowed the hospital to ensure patients who develop blood clots are medicated more quickly, which it partly credits for the reduction in patient deaths.
It has also recently introduced a seven-day mechanical thrombectomy service, which is a procedure that removes blood clots from the brain.
The trust has now been shortlisted for a Patient Safety Award run by NHS magazine Health Service Journal in recognition of this achievement.
