Ambulance video calls helping thousands of stroke patients recognised with NHS award

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has been named a regional champion in the NHS Excellence Awards for its Stroke Video Triage service, which allows ambulance crews to connect patients directly with hospital stroke specialists using a handheld device.

The technology means patients can be assessed by a specialist while still at home or on the way to hospital, cutting down crucial delays. Since the service was introduced in 2022, more than 5,000 people with suspected strokes have benefited from faster diagnosis and treatment.

The system is now live at 12 of the 15 stroke centres across the East of England.

Brittany Farthing, clinical lead for stroke video triage at EEAST, said: “Getting the right diagnosis quickly means patients can receive the right treatment sooner, significantly improving their chances of recovery. Video assessment allows stroke specialists to see patients remotely, before they even arrive at hospital.”

The video assessments mean many patients can avoid crowded accident and emergency departments and be taken straight to specialist stroke units. Hospital teams can also prepare in advance by booking scans and tests while the ambulance is still on the road.

Across the region, the average time from arrival at hospital to a brain scan for stroke patients has fallen from 50 minutes to just 15 minutes. At Luton and Dunstable Hospital, this has reduced to just three minutes.

Faster access to specialist stroke care is linked to better survival rates, reduced disability and shorter hospital stays. Around 30 per cent of patients assessed using the video system are taken directly from scanning to a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit, where they receive intensive care during the first 72 hours after a stroke.

The project has been named regional champion in the “Delivering Value” category of the NHS Excellence Awards, which recognise services that improve patient care and make best use of NHS resources. The team will now go forward to the national finals, with winners announced in June.

Brittany added: “The success of this project has been down to partnership. EEAST has worked together with the East of England Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks and, of course, the hard work and commitment of hospital stroke teams.”