STROKE services at Grantham Hospital should be preserved according to Jagdish Sharma, an expert in the condition.
Dr Sharma, who lives in Grantham, and provides stroke services at hospitals in Newark and Mansfield, says time is of the essence when treating stroke patients.
Last week the Journal reported proposals to remove all stroke care from Grantham Hospit
al as part of a county-wide review of health services.
Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust published its consultation document Shaping Health for Lincolnshire and has given the public until August 9 to offer its views.
The PCT says restricting stroke care to Lincoln and Boston will ensure people get the best early care and diagnosis - improving chances of recovery.
Dr Sharma, a fellow of the European Stroke Council, said: "What matters in acute stroke is the timely admission to a specialist stroke ward, CT scan and, following a protocol of acute management, recognising and treating complications followed by intensive rehabilitation for those who need it.
"Clotbusting treatment - thrombolysis - can make only a very small difference to the improvement in patients and must not be the reason for no stroke services at Grantham Hospital.
"I think that the decision against any stoke services at Grantham Hospital has not been well thought-out and is based on miscalculations that will cause inconvenience to Grantham patients and downgrade services at Grantham Hospital without gain to any party."
*In 2005 an audit conducted for the Royal College of physicians gave Grantham Hospital 25 points for stroke care, against a national average of 61.
At the time United Lincolnshire Hospitals said an action plan that had been implemented had addressed the problems.
Have you been treated for a stroke at Grantham Hospital?
What do you think of the PCT's proposal? Contact us on 01476 562291 or send us an email: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk
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