At Frimley Park Hospital we provide a 24-hour, seven days per week thrombolysis service where clot busting drugs are administered within 4.5 hours of the onset of stroke to break down blood clots.

All stroke patients are admitted to the stroke unit for evaluation by a team of multi-disciplinary specialists including consultant stroke physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.

Patients may undergo the following tests in order to confirm a stroke diagnosis and determine the cause:

• CT scan (computerised tomography)
• MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)
• Carotid artery doppler
• ECG

The team also work closely with the trust's consultant neurologists and vascular surgeons.

Once a stroke patient leaves hospital, they will have a follow up appointment four weeks later with the stroke physician and another appointment at six months with the multi-disciplinary team of stroke specialists.

The stroke unit operate a one-stop transient ischaemic attack (TIA) service 7 days a week.  A TIA is a 'mini stroke' where the blood supply to the brain is only briefly interrupted and symptoms of stroke are temporary. Patients will be seen urgently following a TIA for evaluation and treatment.