The North West community will benefit from improved access to life-saving stroke care at the Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) following expansion of an important service.
An enhanced partnership between the Tasmanian Health Service and the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine service will provide clinical staff at the MCH with 24/7 on-call support from stroke specialists in Victoria.
Using virtual care technology, the telehealth service enables specialist assessment and diagnoses.
Minister for Health, Guy Barnett said this will optimise the care provided to patients who present with stroke symptoms and provide life-saving interventions sooner.
“This will be a game-changer for patients attending the MCH with stroke symptoms, as fast treatment for a stroke is essential for achieving the best outcomes,” Minister Barnett said.
Representatives from the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine service are visiting the MCH this week to conduct a final simulation exercise before the service goes live in coming weeks.
Expansion to the Mersey follows rollout of the Victorian service to the North West Regional Hospital and Launceston General Hospital in March 2020, which are successfully utilising the partnership to optimise the delivery of stroke care to patients.
Minister Barnett said this service is another example of the Rockliff Liberal Government delivering on its long-term plan to ensure Tasmanians receive the right health care at the right time.
“We know every minute matters when suffering a stroke and makes all the difference in an individual’s recovery,” Minister Barnett said.
“This service saves crucial minutes by enabling life-saving treatments to be started sooner, including provision of clot-busting medicines like thrombolysis.”
Many rural and regional hospitals across Australia do not have round the clock access to a stroke specialist on site, but this partnership service enables Tasmanian clinicians to work together across organisational boundaries to provide time-critical care locally.
“Our Government is ensuring equitable access to high-quality stroke care across the North West Coast with this new service,” Minister Barnett said.
Expansion of the service across the North West is part of our Government’s Long Term Plan for Healthcare in Tasmania 2040, released earlier this year.
“We are doing what matters for Tasmanians by providing greater access to specialised services and utilising virtual care to deliver services closer to where people live,” Minister Barnett said.
A stroke is always a medical emergency. Use the F.A.S.T acronym to remember the signs of a stroke: Face drooped? Arms can’t be raised? Speech slurred or confused? Time is critical.
If you see any of these signs, call 000.
