posted 30 March, 2021

Stroke (NMGH)

Who is the service for?

This service provides acute care (including Thrombolysis) for patients who have suffered a stroke, treatment and investigations for Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) and also inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation.

Introduction

Stroke services offered by Bury Care Organisation aim to deliver timely, effective, and patient-centred care, from acute management to long-term rehabilitation and support. We emphasize a holistic approach to stroke care, involving acute treatment, rehabilitation, secondary prevention, community support, and education to improve quality of life for patients.

We provide acute stroke services from Fairfield General Hospital (FGH), consisting of a modern 26-bedded Primary Stroke Centre (PSC). This is one of three hyper-acute stroke units in Greater Manchester, offering rapid assessment and early diagnosis following a suspected stroke meaning patients receive the correct treatment as soon as possible. Inpatient stroke rehabilitation takes place in two further 18-bedded wards to ensure patients make the best recovery and re-learn skills for everyday life. Inpatient care and rehabilitation is delivered by the multidisciplinary team (MDT); the MDT is comprised of Doctors, Specialist Stroke Nurses, Healthcare and Rehabilitation Assistants, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Pharmacists.

Outpatient clinics for stroke services are provided from each hospital site (FGH, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and North Manchester General Hospital).

Contact us

Hospital/Community Site: Fairfield General Hospital
Building name: Fairfield General Hospital
Ward/Department/Outpatient clinic location: Ward 5, Ward 20 & Ward 21
Directions (include the nearest entrance and car park): All wards located in main hospital, please follow signs from main entrance.

Telephone numbers:

Ward 5 (Hyper Acute Stroke Unit/PSC) – 88670

Ward 20 (Stroke Rehabilitation – Male) – 82558

Ward 21 (Stroke Rehabilitation – Female) – 88569

Services offered

We offer numerous services to patients who have had a stroke or TIA (Transient Ischaemic Attack – also called a “mini stroke”). Once admitted to the PSC on Ward 5 at FGH, rapid assessment is provided at the earliest opportunity by the specialist team. Following assessment, a treatment plan will be developed to ensure patient receive the right treatment as soon as possible to enable a fast recovery.

Rehabilitation following acute care for strokes is provided across the two stroke rehabilitation wards, Ward 20 (Male) and Ward 21 (Female). Rehabilitation Stroke Services are provided from FGH for Bury, Rochdale and North Manchester patients and from the Royal Oldham Hospital for Oldham patients. The stroke team works with patients and service users to agree and arrange the support needed for patients to continue recovery at home.

Community in-reach teams support stroke survivors with early supported discharge (ESD), allowing patients to receive the same rehabilitation care they would get at hospital at home. Community stroke teams for Bury, Oldham, Manchester and Rochdale localities offer support for continued care and rehabilitation by various healthcare professionals, including Community Stroke Nurses, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians and Psychologists.

 

We run outpatient clinics that facilitate Stroke and TIA care for patients requiring therapy to continue their recovery, and are key to regaining lost function and independence.

What to expect

A&E Attendances

Patients will be reviewed on arrival to A&E by the on call stroke team including a consultant physician, registrar and a stroke trained nurse. Please bring in any medication you may be taking as well as any toiletries you may need and comfy clothes/pyjamas where possible.

Outpatient Clinics

Patients should bring a copy of current medication to all appointments and follow information sent to them in letters for appointments.

Referral Information

Patients are referred to Stroke services in various ways:

  1. Emergency Department
    Patients who present with symptoms suggestive of a stroke often first arrive at the hospital’s emergency department. Here, they undergo initial assessments and diagnostic tests. If a stroke is suspected, the ED team may initiate the process of referral to the stroke service.
  2. Primary Care
    Patients may be referred by their primary care physicians or general practitioners (GPs) if they present with symptoms or risk factors suggestive of stroke during routine consultations.
  3. Other Hospitals/ Healthcare Providers
    Patients who are initially seen at other hospitals or healthcare facilities and require specialized stroke care may be transferred to Fairfield General Hospital’s stroke service for further management and rehabilitation.
  4. Community Services
    Stroke patients who are receiving care from community health services or rehabilitation facilities may also be referred to Fairfield General Hospital’s stroke services for specialized treatment, ongoing monitoring, or rehabilitation.

This is an acute service that is available to accept referrals from emergency departments from 7am to 11 pm. Outside of these hours all acute patients to be referred directly to the on call stroke team at Salford Royal Hospital.

Once referred, patients typically undergo comprehensive assessments by stroke specialists, including neurologists, radiologists, and rehabilitation specialists. Treatment plans are then tailored to each patient’s specific needs, which may include medications, interventions, therapies, and rehabilitation programs aimed at optimizing recovery and preventing further complications.

Related services

The stroke service links in with numerous other services to ensure a holistic approach to patient care; we provide support by working with other branches of the NCA that we work in tandem with to support our service users. These services include: