13 May 2013
Experts at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust warn ‘tough’ Sheffielders not to put off calling 999 if they experience symptoms of stroke.
Stroke is the single largest cause of adult disability in the UK – and last year resulted in nearly 1,000 hospital admissions in Sheffield alone.
As part of Action on Stroke Month (May 2013) the Stroke Service based at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital are holding stalls in the city to raise awareness of the importance of calling an ambulance if they encounter weakness in the face and arm or if they develop sudden speech problems.
Amanda Jones, Stroke Nurse Consultant at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The people of South Yorkshire have a bit of a reputation for soldiering on and carrying on regardless. But we want to make local people aware of the dangers of putting off calling an ambulance if they develop the symptoms of stroke and to remind them that the quicker treatment for stroke is sought the better chance the patient has of making a full recovery.”
Dad of three Christopher Wheeler, from Chapeltown, Sheffield, admits he did nothing when he first felt the symptoms of stroke in October and is now in hospital again after suffering a second mild stroke last week (22.04.13).
The artist and joiner aged 46 said: “On Monday morning, a sudden strange feeling like being very drunk came over me and I had pins and needles in my right arm. I collapsed on the floor and then crawled back into bed where I stayed for the rest of the day feeling very weak and unwell. After telling my nine-year old daughter through slurred speech I was poorly on the phone, my family persuaded me that I needed to go to hospital and that I might have had a stroke. I was reluctant as I don’t like to make a fuss but they were right. An MRI confirmed this was the second stroke that I had suffered and I remember the same thing happening last year when I lost all muscle control and spatial awareness.”
Patients, like Chris, who suffer a mini-stroke have a 20 per cent chance of a full stroke within four weeks if they receive no medical treatment.
“My advice would be don’t be macho about it, I am really lucky that these were only mild strokes because if they had been more serious I may not have survived without coming to hospital for treatment. I’ve been really pleased with the care I have received - all the staff were very kind to me and really sensitive to the other more poorly patients needs. The occupational therapists, nurses, porters and tea lady were excellent, always putting the patient first.”
A new pilot study asking why people from South Yorkshire are less likely to ring ‘999’ after experiencing symptoms of a stroke is due to start in July this year. The Stroke Awareness and Response to Symptoms study (STARS), which be run from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ stroke admissions unit, will look at the specific psychological barriers which prevent people in the region from calling ‘999’ immediately after experiencing stroke symptoms. It is the first large-scale stroke study of its type to be carried out in the UK.
Amanda Jones added: “Although stroke is more common over the age of 70, Christopher is proof that stroke can affect anyone at any age, even children. So it is important that we all look after each other and ourselves and call 999 if we see the warning signs. Over the past three years there have been major changes to the Sheffield stroke service to improve the quality of stroke care, the hospital stroke service is now based at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where people suspected of a stroke are brought by ambulance to the specialist unit and seen by specialist nurses and doctors immediately who can ensure that treatment to try to reduce the impact of stroke are given straight away. As well as the hospital, the community services in Sheffield support patients after their admission to continue to recover and return as much as possible to everyday life and work. We are in the process of further developments for stroke patients when they are discharged from hospital.”
The Stroke Association are working with the Sheffield Stroke Support service to organise the awareness events. You can visit one of the stalls for more information and for blood pressure checks at either B floor main entrance at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital on May 28th from 11am – 3pm or visit the Stroke Association Support charity shop on Fargate, Sheffield city centre on the 16th May 2013 from 11am – 3pm. If you would like to take part in the month and see what’s going on in their area, visit www.stroke.org.uk/strokemonth
