Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Stroke specialist nurses from Bronglais Hospital and Ceredigion’s Life after Stroke coordinator held a dedicated stand at Morrison’s supermarket in Aberystwyth this week to support a national awareness-raising campaign. The ‘Lower your risk of stroke’ stand was held in the entrance to the supermarket on Wednesday 8 March, offering blood pressure checks, pulse checks and stroke primary prevention advice and information. Overall the team provided stroke prevention advice to over 40 people and provided blood pressure and pulse checks for 39 people, of which 12 were referred onto their GP for further assessment. In Wales more than 7,000 people have a stroke each year and it is one of the leading causes of severe adult disability. There are over 65,100 people in Wales and 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke. By taking action on three of the biggest stroke risk factors, the number of strokes across Wales could be reduced by up to 50%. The campaign asks people to ...

Llanelli Rotary Club will be holding a Stroke Awareness Day at the St Elli Shopping Centre, Llanelli, between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, April 18. The event is part of a national campaign by the Rotary organisation and the Stroke Association to help save lives. Llanelli Rotary Club President Hywel Bassett said: "Checking your blood pressure on a regular basis is a very important first step to staying healthy. "Llanelli Rotary Club members are delighted to be joined by trained professional doctors and nurses to give members of the public the chance to have their blood pressure checked during a break from shopping at the St Elli Centre. "It is all part of a bid to raise awareness of the link between high blood pressure and strokes. “In previous years, we have assisted more than 200 people in having their blood pressure checked on the day. Obviously, anyone with high blood pressure was given the appropriate medical advice on the spot and told what steps to take next to ...

Hywel Dda University Health Board has joined the Stroke Association in marking World Stroke Day and raising awareness of the impact of stroke on women. One in eight women in the UK wrongly believes that a stroke could never happen to them, according to the findings of a poll published today by the Stroke Association. Around 30,000 women die from a stroke every year (i). The condition is the third leading cause of death in women in the UK, and the second biggest killer worldwide. The charity’s latest poll (ii), commissioned to mark World Stroke Day on 29 October, uncovers widespread misconceptions about stroke amongst women. The findings, based on a UK-wide survey of 2,000 adults, show that: Three quarters of women (74%) did not know that stroke is one of the world’s biggest killers Fewer than a third of women (28%) said they thought they would be most likely to have a stroke as they got older. The research also found that women have different attitudes towards the consequences of strok...

Members of the multidisciplinary stroke teams across Hywel Dda Health Board have shared their methods to improve patient care at a national conference. Six posters from Bronglais Hospital and one each from Withybush Hospital and Prince Philip Hospital were displayed at the Welsh Stroke Conference, with one on patient centred goal planning from the Bronglais Hospital multidisciplinary team being chosen for an official presentation. The patient centred goal planning process has seen a 100 per cent of stroke patients stating they now know about their personal goals compared to just 30 per cent before the changes were implemented. Hywel Dda Health Board has pledged to help prevent 125 people a year suffering a stroke over the next five years. Within the health board 50 people a month are admitted to our hospitals after suffering a stroke. Of these one will die as a result of their stroke and only around 50% will be discharged back to their usual place of residence. The health board p...

Llanelli Rotary Club held a very successful Stroke Awareness Day at the St Elli Shopping Centre, Llanelli. The event was part of a national campaign by the Rotary organisation and the Stroke Association to help save lives. Llanelli Rotary Club President Alan Owen said: "Checking your blood pressure on a regular basis is a very important first step to staying healthy. "Llanelli Rotary Club members were delighted to be joined by trained professional doctors and nurses to give members of the public the chance to have their blood pressure checked during a break from shopping at the St Elli Centre. "It was all part of a bid to raise awareness of the link between high blood pressure and strokes. In total, more than 200 people had their blood pressure checked. Obviously, anyone with high blood pressure was given the appropriate medical advice on the spot and told what steps to take next to combat the problem." More than 400 'Know Your Blood pressure'...

Patients are arriving too late at hospital to receive the most promising treatment after a stroke, a Hywel Dda doctor has warned. Only 43% of patients who suffered a stroke in Carmarthenshire in 2012 got to a hospital in time to benefit from thrombolysis. Available 24/7 at Glangwili and Prince Philip Hospitals, thrombolysis treatment is only effective within 4.5hrs of having a stroke. Dr Granville Morris, Consultant Physician at Prince Philip Hospital, said: “Patients with an acute stroke are not accessing the emergency help available to them quick enough and are losing out on the clot buster treatment. “If someone appears to have a stroke according to the FAST protocol, Face droop, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 999, then please call an ambulance immediately.” A delay in getting help can reduce the chances of a full recovery, long-term disabilities or even death. Think FAST, never delay.