Royal Bolton Hospital
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from Bolton.
The network was established in 2015 and is a partnership of NHS providers of stroke care in the Greater Manchester region, including Eastern Cheshire. We work closely with other organisations including Ambulance Trusts, commissioners and our local Strategic Clinical Network and the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
The network comprises of a small team and we are governed by a Board who oversee our strategy and ensure we deliver our vision. The team facilitates improvements in stroke services by working collaboratively with our stakeholders, with much of our work conducted via a range of groups that support the network.
Learn more about the network from our Manager and hear Alan’s story to find out more about our stroke care pathway.
To support the development of high quality and equitable stroke services in Greater Manchester, to achieve the best outcomes and experience for patients. We will do this by:
We actively engage with stroke survivors and carers to ensure their voices are heard, working closely with relevant voluntary sector organisations in our area.
You can find out what we have achieved so far here.
The network is hosted by Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, but works across the region. We help support stroke services in a hospital and community setting, encompassing the patient journey from pre-hospital care to community rehabilitation. We also support improvements in stroke prevention.
Our interactive map below shows the type of stroke care our hospitals provide – hover over the ‘H’ to find out more.
Professionals involved in stroke care can register to access further information in our Resources section of the website.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from Bolton.
Hyper Acute Stroke Unit and a Primary Stroke Centre. Treats acute stroke patients between the hours of 6.45am-10.45pm from Bury, North Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale. Post-acute patients from these areas are also treated here.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from Central Manchester.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from South Manchester.
Hyper Acute Stroke Unit and the Comprehensive Stroke Centre. Treats acute stroke patients 24/7 from its own catchment area of patients which includes Bolton, Central Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Wigan. Also treats patients from all other areas of Greater Manchester between 10.45pm-6.45am.
Hyper Acute Stroke Unit and a Primary Stroke Centre. Treats acute stroke patients between the hours of 6.45am-10.45pm from Macclesfield, South Manchester, Stockport and Tameside. Post-acute patients from Stockport and Macclesfield are also treated here.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from Tameside.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-acute stroke patients from Trafford.
District Stroke Centre. Treats post-
acute stroke patients from Wigan.
In 2015, Greater Manchester (including Eastern Cheshire) re-designed its hospital services for stroke patients.
The change was made after research showed that patients with a recent onset of stroke benefited from being treated at specialised centres called Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASUs). These centres provide clot busting treatments and urgent assessments like brain scans, and have teams of specialist staff – factors shown to increase the chances of survival and recovery from stroke.
You can find out what type of stroke care each of our local hospitals provides using our interactive map of the region.
Community rehabilitation for stroke survivors in Greater Manchester is not yet standardised, and patients receive different types of services after they leave hospital depending on where they live.
You can find out more general information about stroke here and by visiting the Stroke Association website.
Patients who have had a recent stroke (i.e. <48 hours ago) are taken by ambulance to one of our three Hyper Acute Stroke Units. Patients who have had a stroke after this time will be seen at their District Stroke Centre.
Patients taken to a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit are reviewed by a specialist stroke team who assess whether they have had a stroke and order tests such as a brain scan to confirm a diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with a stroke <4 hours ago may be suitable to receive a clot busting treatment called thrombolysis.
Patients brought to a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit are normally transferred (also called repatriation) to their District Stroke Centre within 3 days, although some may remain if too unwell to move
Some patients may be well enough to be discharged home from the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit after a short stay. Others who have been transferred to their District Stroke Centre may need continued rehabilitation support before they are discharged. This is usually under the care of an Early Supported Discharge or Community Rehabilitation team who work closely with the hospital team and also voluntary sector organisations who may offer extra support.
