Project Background
In December 2009 the Yorkshire and the Humber SHA, working with the three stroke networks in the region, secured funding from the Department of Health to develop stroke telemedicine in Yorkshire and the Humber. Shortly after that, in February 2010, the Yorkshire and the Humber Telemedicine in Stroke Project was established to oversee the delivery of a stroke telemedicine service across Yorkshire & the Humber.
Telemedicine in Stroke Care
Telemedicine, when used in stroke care, is a real-time audiovisual conferencing system that allows specialists in stroke care to remotely assess patients and to view their CT brain scan images. This enables the remote stroke consultant to advise the clinical teams in local hospitals on the patient’s suitability for thrombolysis.
What will the project deliver?
The project will:
- deliver the procurement, installation and implementation of a stroke telemedicine system across Yorkshire and the Humber. This will facilitate the provision of expert opinion to patients who present with an acute stroke from a consultant stroke physician from remote site when required
- oversee the delivery of the telemedicine solution into hospitals across Yorkshire and the Humber into hospitals that receive Acute Stroke Patients. This means the installation of telemedicine equipment into 18 hospitals across the region and connectivity between all of those sites
- work with service providers and stroke networks to define essential generic management and governance arrangements needed to deliver an inter-hospital stroke telemedicine service
- work with service providers and stroke networks to develop a acute stroke service models supported by telemedicine service that will meet the needs of the population
- provide a significant contribution to lessons learned for the future use of telemedicine supporting the delivery of acute stroke care in the future
The project is overseen by a Project Board and is accountable to the Yorkshire and the Humber SHA Board. There are formal links to the Stroke Networks, the Health Ambitions Pathway Delivery Board for Acute Care, and Yorkshire and the Humber Programme for IT.
Please find below information about the project and update bulletins on how the Telemedicine project is progressing.
For further information please contact Yorkshire & Humber Project Lead for the Telemedicine project Sarah Halstead 07788 797212
