Treat and transfer in stroke is when someone with suspected stroke is first taken (or comes) to their nearest Emergency Department or Acute Medical Assessment Unit. They receive urgent assessment and any time critical treatment (such as thrombolysis) there. If they then need specialist led acute stroke care, they are transferred, in appropriate transport (usually an ambulance) to an acute stroke unit or thrombectomy centre at another hospital.
Some patients in Hywel Dda already travel for stroke care. Patients who suffer a certain kind of stroke need a procedure known as a thrombectomy. In this case, surgery is needed to remove the clot, and patients will either go to Cardiff or Bristol for that care.
We understand from the feedback we heard in the first stage of the consultation, that the treat and transfer model is something our communities are worried about. We want to reassure patients and their loved ones that treat and transfer models are not new in stroke care. For many years, patients in Wales have been assessed and treated at their local hospital and then transferred to thrombectomy centres when more advanced stroke treatment is needed. A treat and transfer approach is also used in other time critical emergencies where specialist care is needed, such as certain types of heart attack, trauma or vascular problems.
Under this preferred option, our focus is on making sure patients receive the right acute stroke care as early as possible, while keeping as much care as local as we can. By strengthening the quality of care in the early stages of a stroke, more people may be able to return home sooner, supported by Integrated Community Stroke Services where appropriate.