Specialist A&E departments are more appropriate for heart disease and stroke
Rapid specialist care delivered from centres of excellence can save lives and reduce disability, according to Roger Boyle, national clinical director for heart disease and stroke.
In a report setting out his vision for the emergency care of heart disease
and stroke patients, Professor Boyle suggests that paramedics should
have a role in deciding which hospitals they take patients to. “Going
via a local A&E adds a delay that can mean it is too late for the
patient to benefit from the newest drugs and procedures.”
He explains that a new strategy for stroke care is being drawn up that
is likely to recommend a “hub and spoke” model with round-the-clock,
seven-days-a-week access to a CT scanner and thrombolytic drugs. Likewise,
pilots looking at different models of heart attack care are being conducted
and will look at the option of providing primary angioplasty from specialist
centres.
In a second
report, Sir George Alberti, national director for emergency
access, explains that some A&E departments are not going to be able
to deliver the degree of specialisation and specialist cover made possible
by modern medicine. “I believe that the case for changing the way
we provide urgent care — from a twisted ankle to a brain haemorrhage — is
very clear,” he says. |
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