CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed new emergency treatment to help stroke victims in West Dorset.

The round-the-clock service – the first in the South West – has been launched at the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

Sue Woodbury, regional co-ordinator for the Stroke Association based in West Dorset, said: “This is brilliant. We have been waiting for this for a long time.

“At the moment if you have a stroke it needs to be between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

“We are getting the 999 blue light really quickly in stroke cases and it is really good that there will be the help the other end now.”

The thrombolysis service involves on-call radiographers carrying out CT scans for stroke consultants to see via laptop.

The consultants will be able to see and talk to patients as well as staff on the laptop link at accident and emergency at the hospital.

The Dorset Cardiac and Stroke Network – local NHS trusts, stroke patients and support groups – have led the developments of the thrombolysis service.

It has provided training for doctors and nurses, and supported the diagnostics team at DCH in training all of the on-call radiographers.

The scans will help the consultants to diagnose the type of stroke and prescribe treatments as soon as possible after the stroke.

It is expected to be particularly useful in the prescription of clot-busting drugs which need to be given as soon as possible.

DCH consultant stroke physicians Dr Rob Williams and Dr Harald Pröschel emphasised the importance of speedy treatment.

Dr Williams said: “Every minute that passes after symptoms start, two million brain cells die. This clot-busting treatment can help to reverse the damage caused by stroke.”

Dr Pröschel added: “The earlier it is given, the more effective the treatment is.”

South Western Ambulance Service deputy clinical director Adrian South said: “The ambulance service has been working for the past six years with the hospital to enable an ever-increasing number of patients to receive clot-busting treatment following a stroke.

“This fantastic development at Dorset County Hospital means that Dorset is now the first county in the South West where thrombolysis is available 24/7.”

In Dorset, 1,500 people will have a stroke each year.