10 April 2017
In March 2017 we announced some temporary changes that we need to make to some services at Kent and Canterbury Hospital (K&C). Following that announcement we are making some changes to stroke services from this week.
We want to reassure all our patients, relatives and their loved ones that their care is our first priority. Patients who are in hospital already having suffered a stroke will be treated and discharged as normal. But from Tuesday 11 April, all new patients suspected of having a stroke, who would usually be brought to Canterbury, will be taken directly by ambulance to Margate or Ashford instead, whichever is closer, for initial assessment. If stroke is confirmed, patients are treated at this hospital while they are very unwell.
This is because patients’ safety and recovery is our utmost priority. We need stroke patients to be seen in the place they will get the most appropriate treatment which means, for the moment, being treated at Ashford and Margate for the first few days of their care.
Once local patients have recovered from the acute phase of their stroke at Ashford or Margate, they will be able to move to the K&C to continue their recovery and rehabilitation journey, closer to home.
Most stroke services will remain unchanged at the K&C, including outpatient appointments and rehabilitation services. The hospital’s stroke ward will remain open and continue to care for patients recovering from a stroke.
Around four people a day usually attend K&C with hyper acute stroke like symptoms. On average, one of these patients has a confirmed stroke and needs admitting to the stroke ward.
Please be reassured that hospital services are safe and the temporary changes are only being introduced so that we can maintain this.
Read our press release
