PERFORMANCE: Ambulance crews in the East of England are struggling to get stroke patients to a hyperacute unit within 60 minutes - partly due to the geography of the area.

A report to the East of England Ambulance Service Trust board meeting said that a significant proportion of patients lived more than 30 minutes drive from an appropriate unit - making it difficult to get them to one within 60 minutes, especially if the initial ambulance service response was not from a vehicle capable of transporting the patient.

The trust has fallen below the 62 per cent target for each month of the financial year reported so far.

A review of where patients live and how long it would take them to get to hospital is expected by the end of the year. NHS Midlands and East is also reviewing stroke services more generally.

Source

Quality report, board papers

Source date

Sept 20

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