PEOPLE who have a stroke in Warrington spend longer than patients elsewhere on a dedicated stroke unit, new figures show, and all of them have rehabilitation goals set.

The Royal College of Physicians’ national stroke audit placed Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the middle half of all trusts in the country.

Of 10 criteria audited, Warrington patients fared better than average for six of them.

69 per cent had a brain scan within 24 hours of a stroke, where the national average was 59 per cent.

88 per cent had a physiotherapist assessment within 72 hours of admission. The national average is 84 per cent.

77 per cent of patients’ mood was assessed by the time they were discharged, compared to the average of 65 per cent.

100 per cent had their rehabilitation goals set by the multidisciplinary team. The national average is 86 per cent.

93 per cent of stroke patients has aspirin or clopidogrel within 48 hours. Nationally, 85 per cent received the drugs.

91 per cent spend at least 90 per cent of their time in hospital on a dedicated stroke ward. Nationally just 58 per cent do.

But for the other four criteria Warrington Hospital came in under the national average.

72 per cent of patients in the UK were screened for swallowing disorders within 24 hours, but only 65 per cent of Warrington Hospital patients were.

60 per cent of Warrington patients received an occupational therapy assessment within four working days. The national average was 66 per cent.

59 per cent were weighed during their admission, but the average across the country was 72 per cent.

The percentage of patients receiving all nine indicators was just 10. However, nationally it was only 17 per cent.

Fifty nine patients took part in the audit.