You know about HASUs so what about ASUs?

In previous blogs I have reported that that 3 Clinical Commissioning Groups have collectively decided that the number of Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASUs) in Surrey should be reduced from 5 to 3 and be located in Frimley, St Peters and East Surrey hospitals. The Royal Surrey will lose its HASU and those who have stokes in Guildford will be taken to St Peters and those south of Guildford to Frimley. There will be consultation in Jan/Feb next year but I cannot see this decision being changed.

However the question arises as where patients will go when their spell in the HASU has ended. The argument may be that those from Guildford in St Peters HASU should transfer to an Acute Stroke Unit (ASU) in St Peters itself assuming acute care is still required. However many patients having completed a HASU spell, might wish to be transferred to the Royal Surrey for further acute care prior to going home or to a rehabilitation unit in a non-acute setting. This would allow patients to be close to family and friends during what is often a difficult time.

The downside would be moving away from the clinicians who have treated you at the most dangerous time. However that is soluble given some joint working between St Peters and the Royal Surrey. The same issues arise of course between Frimley and the Royal Surrey.

Here then is an area where consultation could actually be meaningful provided of course the authorities are prepared to listen !!