Freedom of Information Request: 0410 2019/20
We understand from your Trust’s guideline CG009 ‘Thrombolysis and Thrombectomy’
version 3.1 that at the time of the policy there was an out of hours thrombectomy service provided on a case-by-case basis and the expectation a full 24 hour thrombectomy service would be in place in 2017.
Please would you provide the following information:
- The date the 24 hour thrombectomy service was established at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The 24 hour thrombectomy service was due to start in September 2019. Due to workforce issues we have explanded the service from this date to a 7am to 7pm service, 7 days a week but still not 24/7.
- If the thrombectomy service was not a 24 hour service in December 2018, the ‘usual’ hours the service did operate at that time.
Still 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday in December 2018
- If the thrombectomy service was not a 24 hour service in December 2018, the system in place for “case-by-case basis” thrombectomy to be performed out-of-hours (as referred to in the CG009 policy). We require information regarding the working of this process, including what times were classified as ‘out of hours’; the arrangements for an on-call neuroradiologist, anaesthetist and theatre team; the criteria applied to judge cases on a “case-by-case” basis; and timeframes.
Out of hours is anytime outside the times outlined above. There was no on-call neuroradiologist or neuoraneaesthetist at this time, the on-call angio staff were not present 24 hours a day because most other neuro-interventions can wait several hours. If there was a clear thrombectomy case the stroke physician would see if an available team could be mobilised and consider if the team and room could be ready in sufficient time to make a thrombectomy viable in that particular case.
- Please provide a copy of the subsequent version of your CG009 ‘Thrombolysis and
Thrombectomy’ guideline. We note the review date of version 3.1 we hold was
November 2018.
Please see attached document
