University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) in conjunction with UCL Partners and The North Central London Stroke Network was proud be to designated as one of eight Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASU) in London and the sole provider in the North Central London, as part of the Capital's reorganisation of stroke services to improve quality of care. We are now a fully operational HASU with 18 beds based on the seventh floor at UCH and we also have a sister 17 bedded acute stroke unit (SU) at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN).
The HASU/SU model consistently delivers high quality stroke care and excellent outcomes for stroke patients by taking advantage of world class expertise at UCH and at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square.
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery provides the most comprehensive range of Neuroscience clinical services not only in London but throughout Europe. UCH/NHNN in partnership with UCL/Institute of Neurology has the largest translational academic stroke program in London and one of the largest in Europe.
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery is one of the top three centres in the world for neurology and translates this unrivalled excellence to the quality of care of all stroke patients in the sector. The Neurosciences stroke service is part of a comprehensive neurosciences centre which incorporates neuro-specialties.
The dedicated HASU at UCH admits all acute stroke patients in North Central London(<24 hours, & sometimes up to 72 hours after symptom onset) and brings together experts from a range of disciplines and specialised equipment to provide world-class treatment 24 hours a day, reducing death rates and long-term disability.
This includes:
- Rapid assessment – patients with suspected stroke will be assessed by a specialist and have access to an immediate brain scan, when clinically indicated or within 24 hours if not
- Access to early treatment using clot-busting drugs (thrombolysis)
- 24/7 monitoring and physiological intervention in specialised stroke high-dependency beds on the 7th floor of UCLH
- Access to a multi-disciplinary specialist team that supports the HASU 24/7. This includes consultant neurologists, stroke specialists, neurosurgeons and radiologists, specialist nurses and a team of stroke therapists, that include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and dietetics. Many members of the MDT rotate between the HASU, Acute Medical Unit and the Stroke Unit to enable all staff to develop and maintain a broad skill set.
- We are fortunate to have a consultant led service, with expertise drawn from across the North Central London Sector, with stroke specialists from UCLH, Royal Free, North Middlesex and Barnet rotating through the HASU
The stroke team is striving to deliver a responsive service and ensure that the Trust’s vision of world class stroke care is realised.
