EIGHT out of ten patients are reaching the stroke unit at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, within four hours of arrival, compared to five out of ten nationally.

The data, released by the Royal Collage of Physicians’ Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, also reveals that the average patient arrives on the stroke ward within 90 minutes following initial assessments and routine scans.

Figures show South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was the only service in the country to achieve more than 90 per cent of patients seeing a stroke nurse and stroke therapist within 24 hours - and all relevant therapists within 72 hours.

The proportion of applicable patients receiving six month reviews at 89 per cent - is also well above the national average of 21 per cent.

Stroke consultant Dr Adrian Bergin said: “What these statistics show is that we get patients to the right place quickly and assessed by the right people.”

The figures are expected to improve even further in the future following the opening of the specialist stroke rehabilitation unit at Redcar Primary Care Hospital in April and the launch of the early supported discharge (ESD) team, which now enables up to 40 per cent of South Tees patients to receive stroke rehabilitation therapy in their own home.

Dr Ali Tahmassebi, South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group GP and lead for the IMProVE programme (Integrated Management and Proactive Care for the Vulnerable and Elderly) behind the positive changes to stroke services, said: “We are delighted to receive further confirmation that James Cook continues to improve stroke care.”