Video triage trial to help stroke sufferers

South Yorkshire is one of seven regions to pilot “stroke video triage”, an initiative commissioned by NHS England (NHSE), with the aim of improving stroke patient outcomes.

Supported by the South Yorkshire Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (SYISDN), the six-month pilot began last month and involves Doncaster Royal Infirmary, the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Those experiencing symptoms of a suspected stroke will have a video triage assessment with a stroke specialist at one of the Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASU) across the region.

An app will support a video triage between the patient and the stroke team, at either Doncaster Royal Infirmary or Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

The video call will help ensure patients are taken directly for treatment, increasing the speed of intervention treatment and reducing handover times for staff.

Rotherham Hospital does not have an HASU, but will be sharing anonymised data about patients to support the programme and identify the potential benefits of using video triage for strokes.

The South Yorkshire Stroke Survivor and Carer Panel — which supported the funding bid from the SYISDN — aims to help those living with stroke or caring for someone affected to share their views and help shape services.

Mandy Rylance, stroke survivor and deputy chair of the panel, said: “The video triage trial means the correct assessment for a patient having a stroke can literally make a big difference to the patient’s future quality of life.

“What more could a patient want than a specialist stroke doctor being involved in the diagnosis from the minute you enter the ambulance?”