Health board seeks new consultation on future of stroke care

Mark Mansfield

Plans for the future of stroke care in west Wales could move into a second phase of public consultation next week as health leaders consider proposals to reshape services across the region.

Hywel Dda University Health Board will meet on 28 May to decide whether to launch a further consultation focused specifically on stroke services after no final decision was reached during the first phase of its wider Clinical Services Plan.

The Health Board has already agreed future service models for eight of the nine services included in the programme following an extraordinary board meeting in February. Stroke services were the only area left unresolved.

Health leaders say change is needed because the current service is fragile, spread across four hospital sites and unable to provide specialist stroke cover seven days a week.

The Board said this can result in poorer outcomes for patients and that reform is needed to make services safer, more sustainable and improve recovery.

During the first consultation, respondents were asked to comment on a range of options as well as alternative proposals put forward by communities.

The Board concluded that none of the individual options fully addressed concerns but believed elements from two alternatives – known as Option 106 and Option 210 – could be combined into a preferred approach.

Under the preferred model, a 24-hour acute stroke and rehabilitation unit would be based at Glangwili Hospital.

Stroke rehabilitation services would continue at Bronglais Hospital, while initial treatment and transfer arrangements for stroke patients would remain available at Bronglais, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals.

Patients requiring further specialist care would then be transferred either to Glangwili or directly to thrombectomy centres in Cardiff or Bristol where appropriate, as currently happens.

If approved next week, the consultation would run from 28 May until 26 July and seek views from patients, carers, NHS staff, partner organisations and people living in neighbouring health board areas.

People would be asked whether they support the preferred option, whether another previously consulted-on model should be reconsidered and whether there are other factors – including Welsh language and equality impacts – that should shape future services.

Dr Neil Wooding, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Thank you to everyone who has already given their time and provided feedback in the first phase of our Clinical Services Plan consultation, which has enabled us to reach this point.

“While we were able to take decisions on eight of the nine fragile services included in our Clinical Services Plan earlier this year, no decisions about the future model for stroke services have been made.

“If endorsed by our Board next week, we will be inviting individuals and organisations who are interested in the services we provide to share their views with us on the preferred option for the future of stroke services at Hywel Dda.”

Influence

Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, said the Health Board wanted to ensure people had the opportunity to influence any final decision.

“We know how important stroke services are to our communities, and we are committed to taking the time needed to understand people’s views on the preferred option and the other options already consulted on, before any final decisions are made.

“We need to change our current service to ensure that people in our communities have the best possible outcomes and chance of recovery from a stroke.”