Suspected stroke patients in Scarborough to be taken directly to York, Middlesbrough or Hull hospitals

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says the temporary decision has been taken due to “staffing difficulties” and to ensure the safety of patients.

The trust told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the “vast majority” of stroke patients who arrive at Scarborough A&E have been transferred to the hyper-acute stroke unit at York Hospital since 2015.

From Monday (4th) all suspected stroke patients will be taken to the nearest specialist unit without first going to Scarborough.

A trust spokesman said: “Medical staffing difficulties mean patients suffering a stroke will now bypass [Scarborough A&E] and go directly to their nearest emergency department in a hospital with a hyper-acute stroke unit (York, Hull, or Middlesbrough).

“This is a temporary change to enable us to ensure the safest care for patients and to allow the Humber, Coast and Vale Stroke Network to consider how the service could be delivered in the longer term and what a permanent solution may be for the future.

“Follow up clinics for patients who have been discharged from their in-patient care (typically at about six weeks post discharge) and clinics for patients who have been diagnosed with a TIA (transient ischaemic attack) rather than a stroke (usually requiring an appointment within 24 hours) will continue to be covered locally at Scarborough Hospital.

“The focus for stroke care at Scarborough Hospital will be on delivering high-quality rehabilitation in a designated Stroke Rehabilitation Ward with local medical cover and appropriate therapy services both in the hospital and the community.”

Patients who arrive at Scarborough Hospital themselves will be transferred via ambulance to York.

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