UHNM Stroke Thrombectomy Service receives national praise
Andrew Gwynne MP, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, and NHS England Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis, have today thrown their full support behind UHNM’s life-saving stroke thrombectomy service.
Stating the Stroke team – based at Royal Stoke University Hospital – had done Stoke-on-Trent and the country proud Andrew Gwynne MP backed the 24 hour, seven day a week service available for patients.
Ten per cent of Stroke admissions are eligible to be treated by mechanical thrombectomy in the UK. UHNM treats 12.8 per cent of stroke admissions with thrombectomy, which is four times higher than the national average of 3.3 per cent in England and successfully meets the national target by treating all thrombectomy-eligible stroke patients admitted directly to Royal Stoke.
At a Thrombectomy Awareness Event today supported by UHNM Charity, Penumbra and Medtronic, Mr Gwynne said: “I want to congratulate Dr Sanjeev Nayak and the whole team at University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust for the pioneering work you have done to become the first centre in the UK to provide 24/7 thrombectomy services.
“You’ve done Stoke proud and you’ve done our country proud. Helping more people in the North Midlands receive the life-saving treatment they deserve.”
Royal Stoke University Hospital was one of the first UK site to have a dedicated 24/7 team to provide specialist care and treatment for patients who have a potentially life-changing stroke.
The procedure involves carefully removing blood clots from deep within the brain, using a three foot-long wire. A stent at the end of the wire envelopes the clot and pulls it out, allowing blood to flow freely to the brain. This procedure is most effective when performed within six to 24 hours after stroke symptoms begin, with earlier interventions leading to better outcomes.
Although this treatment isn't available to all stroke patients, it has proved to be life-changing for many. Patients with the most severe strokes previously had a mortality risk of 50%, whereas this treatment has a direct impact on the patient population reducing mortality to 14%, one of the lowest for such severe strokes in the UK.
He added that as a minister for public health he wanted to break down the barriers that many stroke patients face on their care journey that aren’t available to everyone in the UK.
Speaking at the Thrombectomy event today, NHS England Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said: “Stroke thrombectomy at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is probably, if not, the best service in the country. This has been achieved with commitment, determination and a passion to provide the very best service to your local community, and I wish to applaud this fantastic achievement.”
Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologist Dr Sanjeev Nayak said: "We were the first hospital in the UK to provide a 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy service and UHNM has very much been at the forefront of pioneering the procedure nationally. We are delighted to have received such high praise for our service for the people of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding area.”
Indira Natarajan, Consultant Stroke Physician and UHNM Clinical Director for Neurosciences, said: "We are very proud of our stroke services and how quickly we're able to treat patients through our mechanical thrombectomy and pleased it has today been recognised nationally.”
