5 September 2011
The Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of two new stroke consultants based at Epsom Hospital who will bolster the service provided to the people of Epsom and surrounding areas.
Dr Brendan Affley and Dr Ratneshwari Jha's appointments form part of a £760,000 investment announced by the Trust Board last year to improve stroke services at the hospital. Their appointment means the service will be able to run more dedicated clinics, seeing and treating more patients who have suffered a stroke or 'mini-stroke'.
Dr Val Jones is also a stroke consultant and is the Trust's lead for stroke services. She said: "This is fantastic news. Strokes are a major cause of death and harm to people, so it's great to have more hands on deck to help support the people of Epsom.
"The arrival of Dr Affley and Dr Jha means we will be able to hold many more regular clinics for patients who have suffered transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs), otherwise known as 'mini-strokes'.
"We are now able to see and treat more local patients at Epsom Hospital which, from a medical point of view, is excellent news: treating strokes and TIAs as early as possible is crucial to a patient's recovery.
"Patients attending Epsom with suspected strokes and TIAs will receive the immediate, specialist attention they need, without having to be diverted elsewhere.
"If they have suffered a suspected TIA, they will be able to undergo urgent diagnostic examinations such as MRI scanning and carotid doppler testing (which measures the flow of blood to the brain) on the same day they see the doctor. It's a fast and efficient service, and it will undoubtedly help us to save lives.
"We have also started thrombolysis treatment (a drug that breaks down blood clots, which can help to reduce the damage caused to the brain by a stroke) for suitable patients at Epsom Hospital, without them needing to go to other hospitals. Again, this represents a significant step forward for stroke services at the hospital."
Dr Affley said: "It is an amazing opportunity to be part of such a great stroke team on Britten ward (the hospital's dedicated stroke unit). With both the thrombolysis service and our daily TIA clinics, we are witnessing the development of a truly first-rate stroke service at Epsom Hospital."
