This National Stroke Week (8-14 August 2022) Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders is recognising the successful rollout of the NSW Telestroke Service at Dubbo.
Mr Saunders said the NSW Telestroke Service is an important weapon in the fight against stroke.
“Stroke is a time critical medical emergency that can kill up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute, so every second counts,” Mr Saunders said.
“Having access to Telestroke is a huge boost for our local patients and clinicians.
“The innovative service provides 24/7 access to life-saving stroke diagnosis and treatment, connecting patients and local doctors with specialist stroke physicians via video consultation.”
Every year, around 19,000 residents in NSW have a stroke and more than a third of people hospitalised for stroke in NSW are from regional, remote or rural areas.
The F.A.S.T test is an easy way to spot the signs of stroke. FAST stands for:
· Face – Has their mouth drooped?
· Arms – Can the person lift both arms?
· Speech – Is the person’s speech slurred? Do they understand you?
· Time – Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.
The $21.7 million NSW Telestroke Service is jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments. The service connects 23 rural and regional hospitals across NSW with a network of virtual specialist stroke doctors, managed by the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Implementation of the service is a collaboration between the Prince of Wales Hospital, eHealth NSW, the Agency for Clinical Innovation and the Ministry of Health, with support from the Stroke Foundation.