West Sussex hospital-based stroke services could change: Here's everything you need to know and how you can have a say

Plans to ‘improve hospital-based stroke services’ were set out by health and care leaders in Sussex and could see Worthing Hospital lose its site for acute stroke events.

The recommended option is for an acute stroke centre to be developed at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, led by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

This would mean Worthing Hospital would no longer be a stroke receiving unit, which would result in an increase in number of stroke admissions to St Richard’s Hospital and the Comprehensive Stroke Centre at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The proposals were approved to go out for public consultation by the NHS Sussex Board in January.

‘Larger dedicated stroke centre’ would give ‘better chance of survival’

The NHS Sussex and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) officially launched the consultation on Friday (January 27).

Chief medical officer, Dr Dinesh Sinha, said NHS Sussex has ‘spent a long time’ considering options, listening to health professionals across stroke services – as well as those who have experienced a stroke and their representatives – to develop a proposal that ‘we are confident’ would improve access to specialist stroke care for the population it serves.

He added: “We want everyone to benefit from safe, effective, and high-quality stroke services when they need them. stroke is a preventable and treatable disease. However, it is also one of the leading causes of death in the UK and the largest single cause of severe disability.

“If you have a stroke, you have a better chance of survival and making a fuller recovery if you are treated quickly at a larger dedicated stroke centre, with access to specialist clinicians and support services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“To provide the best treatment and outcomes for our patients, we want to develop an Acute Stroke Centre (ASC) in West Sussex which is recognised as national best practice."

Some patients would ‘spend a bit longer’ in an ambulance to reach hospital

For the past two years, the local NHS has been working to carry out a comprehensive review of stroke services in the coastal area of West Sussex, which covers the population of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Worthing and south of Horsham.

Dr George Findlay, Chief Executive at UHSussex said staff in West Sussex ‘currently provide good stroke care’ from two units at St Richard’s Hospital and Worthing Hospital but these are ‘unfortunately too small to consistently meet new national standards’.

He added: “Evidence shows that patients have better outcomes if they are treated at a larger Acute Stroke Centre, which is why our clinical experts and NHS partners have been looking at how we could develop one of these centres in West Sussex.

“Following an extensive review, we believe St Richard’s would be the best location for an Acute Stroke Centre. Although some patients would spend a bit longer in an ambulance to reach hospital, we know that their quality of care, access to 24/7 specialist treatment and outcomes would be better.”

Clinicians from stroke services, general practice and the ambulance service have led the review and it has ‘helped to identify improvements’ needed to provide the best care to the people who live, work and visit local communities. The NHS said improvements are needed to also ensure it is meeting national guidelines for the treatment of stroke.

What are the benefits of the proposal – and how can people have a say?

The NHS said the proposal ‘would bring many benefits to local people’.

These include: access to specialist stroke services 24 hours a day, seven days a week; a reduction in deaths from stroke; fewer people living with long-term disability following stroke; fewer people losing their independence and being admitted to nursing or care homes and shorter stays in hospital and it would also support a more resilient workforce and give them a better opportunity to develop their skills to improve standards and continuity of care.

People who use stroke services, their carers and families, the Stroke Association, Healthwatch West Sussex, the local voluntary and community sector, and members of communities who experience health inequalities have all been involved in the process.

"Their feedback has helped shape the proposals and ensure they are the best opportunity to meet the challenges being faced to provide the best quality care for all patients who experience a stroke, now and for years to come,” an NHS spokesperson said.

"Working together as a network, the two stroke centres would ensure everyone in West Sussex is within a 60-minute ambulance journey to a stroke centre staffed by the right specialists, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our analysis of ambulance journey times shows that most ambulance journeys are under 45 minutes.”

The consultation will run for 12 weeks until April 21. People can read all of the background information, supporting documents and have their say by visiting the Sussex Integrated Care System’s website – Improving stroke services in West Sussex - Sussex Health and Care.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Over the next 12 weeks we will be attending community events and forums, as well as hosting our own events both in person and virtually in order to reach and hear from our communities. We are keen to understand the views of as many people as possible so that we can shape the best possible services for our population.

"Following the consultations, all feedback will be analysed by external consultation specialists and an independent report will be produced to support any decisions that are made.”

People can have a say online at opinionresearch.co.uk, by post – fill in the questionnaire and post to FREEPOST SS1018, PO Box 530, Swansea, SA1 1Z1 or you can request a copy of the document by contacting the team on 0800 433 4545 – and by also by emailing [email protected].

If you would prefer to discuss your concerns in person, a number of events will be taking place where you can have your say. Events will be listed on the ICS website.

Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users can share their views by using the free Sign Directory app that connects them to a qualified British Sign Language interpreter. Click here to find out more.

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