Every five minutes, someone in the UK suffers a stroke, with over 100,000 strokes occurring each year. It remains the leading cause of disability in the country. At East Lancashire Hospitals, we are witnessing a growing number of stroke patients annually, with 714 stroke patients treated last year alone. Of these, 238 required hospital admission.

In accordance with the Royal College of Physicians' stroke guidelines, patients with suspected strokes should be admitted directly to a hyper-acute stroke unit for emergency treatment. To meet this crucial need, we aim to transform our Acute Stroke Unit into an Acute Stroke Centre. This development will include designated hyper-acute stroke beds, ensuring immediate and specialised care for stroke patients.

Our existing stroke ambulatory care service has successfully prevented 476 hospital admissions. As part of our new Acute Stroke Centre, we plan to establish a dedicated area for the rapid assessment of stroke patients, allowing for swift evaluations outside the bustling emergency department. This improvement will greatly benefit our patients by providing timely and focused care.

Your support can make a significant difference. All funds raised will go directly towards the development of the Acute Stroke Centre, enhancing the quality of care for stroke patients in East Lancashire. A goal of the team is to use charitable funds to introduce specialist stroke equipment including a supportive shower chair to enable those who are bed bound to be able to have a shower.

Please donate today and help us build a better future for stroke care with our local NHS hospitals charity, ELHT&Me.