A NEW stroke unit has opened at Glan Clwyd Hospital.
The facility has brought together the stroke rehabilitation unit and rehabilitation day unit at HM Stanley Hospital, St Asaph and the acute stroke unit which was run at Bodelwyddan.
Health bosses at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board say the new unit allows patients to have a streamlined service to help reach their full level of recovery in line with two thirds of stroke units in the UK.
The unit, which has been extended, has 30 beds and is adjacent to the hospital’s therapies department.and is designed to offer a comfortable, peaceful and calm environment, which helps patients recover. A conservatory and garden area is also planned.
A combined unit provides a number of benefits for patients, including better access to therapy services, allowing the development of one specialist Therapies Stroke Team, an extension of the existing weekday Thrombolysis service for stroke in the near future, a more flexible use of beds and staff and the development of a service model resulting in shorter lengths of stay for patients, allowing them to return home sooner.
A representative of the North Wales Stroke Forum said: “We welcome the Stroke Services all coming under one roof in a combined unit and we believe this will have important long term effects on the outcome of stroke patients treatment. It will enable a Centre of Excellence for Stroke Services to be developed, whilst allowing us to make the most effective use of our resources.”