Planned ward moves to benefit patients as expanded specialist stroke unit is created at Wycombe

2 February 2012

As part of our plans to develop our stroke services, we are creating an expanded specialist 30-bedded hyperacute and acute stroke unit at Wycombe Hospital. This has been enabled through the merger of the hyperacute and acute inpatient stroke services currently provided at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville hospitals.

The dedicated stroke unit will be based in wards 8 and 9 at Wycombe Hospital and will see patients in the hyperacute, acute and rehab phase of treatment. The unit will offer a number of new facilities for patients including a day room, therapy area and relatives room. It will allow us to offer 24/7 specialist stroke care to the people of Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire and will work closely with our new early supported discharge service.

To facilitate the transfer to this new unit, there will be a series of ward moves over the coming weeks. These include:

We will do all we can to minimise any disruptions to our services during these moves, however we ask patients and visitors to our hospitals to be aware that there may be some interruptions to our normal services.

We will ensure, where possible, that patients and visitors are kept informed about the ward moves and advised of any changes to normal activity such as visiting times. If you have any concerns please speak to a member of staff on the ward.

By creating one single inpatient unit, it will mean patients will receive the best possible care in an environment which is specifically planned around their condition.

The designation of Wycombe Hospital as a hyperacute stroke unit in June 2011, for Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire, creates locally for the first time a 24/7 specialist thrombolysis (which are clot-busting drugs) treatment service and access to other specialist stroke treatment, which were only previously offered in ‘office hours’.

The new unit will provide consistent care for patients in hospital and ensuring they are cared for by specialist stroke staff. Patients will now have their care in one place (and not being transferred during rehab), which will improve their rehabilitation by allowing them to get to know staff and feel more supported during their time in hospital.

In addition, the unit will work closely with our new early supported discharge service, which enables patients to receive intensive rehabilitation in their own homes. This service, which commenced in October 2011, is provided by a multidisciplinary team of therapists and stroke nurses and offers up to six weeks of intensive rehabilitation for patients who are medically ready to leave hospital and who would benefit from continuing their recovery in their own home.

For information on previous related stories please link to:
New hyperacute stroke service at Wycombe
Stroke patients in Bucks to benefit from new home-based rehab service