West Midlands Ambulance Service set to improve stroke treatment
They're the first ambulance service to join the NHS trial to speed up stroke treatment.
Last updated 17th Feb 2023
Paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service are the first in the country to be taking part in an NHS trial to help speed up stroke treatment.
It's call 'Speedy Trial' and is being ran by a Stroke Research Group at Newcastle University along with the NHS.
The aim is to get ambulances to go direct to specific stroke treatment clinics to treat Stroke Thrombectomy.
It will then speed up operations and cut down on the pressure on other services in the health care units.
Currently in the West Midlands, the treatment can only be given at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Josh Miller is a Lead Paramedic in the West Midlands and said: "The difference this can make to people in the region, is that thrombectomy is known as a brain saving treatment.
"It means people are more likely to return to work and normal life after having the treatment.
"We think around ten percent of stroke patients can benefit from thrombectomy to remove their clots. At the minute there's only a small amount being able to receive the treatment.
"This is because transferring people from a local stroke hospital to a specialist one can add several hours to a journey."
It's expected that more NHS ambulance services will be following the West Midlands and joining the trial.