Landmark for stroke care in Gippsland

Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) has been recognised for its excellence in delivering care to stroke patients by the Australian Stroke Coalition (ASC) having achieved accreditation as a Primary Stroke Centre.

“This is the first time we’ve been recognised in this way and reflects the work that the team in Emergency, Intensive Care, the Avon Unit and the Nicholson Unit have been doing to identify, treat and care for patients as they come through LRH,” Chief Executive Don McRae said.

LRH treats more than 200 stroke patients each year and Gippsland is overrepresented in figures around cardiovascular disease compared to other areas of the state.

“The assessors looked at the processes we have in place to quickly identify stroke patients who present to our Emergency Department and provide initial treatment such as the prescription of ‘clot busting’ drugs, known as thrombolysis,” LRH Stroke Coordinator, Janet May said.

“They also assessed the treatment in our new Intensive Care Unit, longer term care in the Avon Unit, our designated stroke ward, as well as our Allied Health team’s work.

“This accreditation signifies that we meet the highest standards of care, ensuring our patients receive timely, effective treatment while providing the best possible support to both patients and their families.”

LRH is the only hospital outside the major settings of Melbourne and Geelong to achieve this level of accreditation in Victoria.

The assessors from the ASC acknowledged: “LRH stroke services are well coordinated…and are delivering timely, highly accessible and integrated care to the Gippsland community.”

Ongoing education for staff to provide high quality, safe care was also recognised.

“We’ve developed an education hub where the team can examine what’s happening with current patients, learn from colleagues and develop new skills.

This is vitally important to ensure that the team is working with one goal and that everyone’s skills are being elevated constantly,” Avon Nurse Unit Manager Jenna Hooper said.

Pictured L-R: LRH Stroke Coordinator, Janet May, A/Professor Alistair Wright and Avon Nurse Unit Manager Jenna Hooper