Calls for extension of Derry rapid blood clot assessment and transfer pilot for stroke patients
A pilot stroke service aimed at minimising delays for patients transferring from Altnagelvin to the Royal Victoria Hospital for emergency blood clot removal should be extended, a local MLA has said.
The PitStop initiative between the Western Trust and the NI Ambulance Trust was put in place at Altnagelvin in June 2024.
It involves ambulance crews pre-alerting clinicians at the Derry hospital of a potential blood clot after emergency calls.
Paramedics then stay with stroke patients while rapid multi-disciplinary assessments are conducted at Altnagelvin to assess their suitability for blood clot removal by thrombectomy in Belfast.
Dozens of patients have been assessed under the pilot since June 2024 with a number of these successfully transferring to the RVH for treatment in the same ambulance in which they were picked up.
Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin Chair of the Stormont Health Committee, said the pilot was ‘designed to minimise transfer delays by keeping the ambulance on site until thrombectomy eligibility is confirmed’.
"That kind of innovation shows what is possible when we design services around patients' needs,” he commented.
Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson said PitStop should be extended and made permanent.
"Do you agree that the PitStop pilot at Altnagelvin on pre-alerts by the NI Ambulance Service and rapid multidisciplinary assessment, which optimises the number of patients who can be treated through thrombectomy and reduces the time between arrival at Altnagelvin and transfer to the Royal Victoria Hospital, should be extended indefinitely whilst phasing in the commencement of a 24/7 thrombectomy service?” she asked.
Mr. McGuigan replied: “Absolutely. I thank the Member for the intervention. At the Health Committee, we often talk about the success of pilots, but, in many cases, they stop at being pilots and do not become actual services. I absolutely commend the PITSTOP service and want to see it initiated further and integrated fully into our health service.”
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said Altnagelvin will be at the centre of a drive to improve stroke treatment rates by both thrombectomy and thrombolysis – the use of drugs to break up clots.
“Altnagelvin Area Hospital has been selected as one of a number of sites in the UK to participate in the thrombectomy and thrombolysis in acute stroke collaborative. That is an NHS Elect quality-improvement initiative to improve thrombectomy and thrombolysis rates,” he said.