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Ten years ago, The Walton Centre was one of a few specialist NHS Trusts tasked with revolutionising neurological care for patients. From this work came an innovative project, which would enable staff to bring the high quality care patients receive in hospital to patients closer to home. The Integrated Neurology Nurse Service (INNS) was born.

This team of specialist nurses goes out into the communities where our patients live, so that they don’t have to travel long, sometimes anxious, journeys into the hospital for care and support. People with long-term neurological conditions, such as motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy qualify for this service.

Advanced Neurology Nurse Louise Fasting (right) is one of the INNS team. She said: “We’re a six-strong team, supporting patients through a number of different ways. From community clinics and education to home visits and providing a telephone support line, we work hard to support patients who are trying to live well with their conditions.

“What we’ve found over the years is how useful the service is to this patient group. No two days are the same, and that certainly keeps you on your toes! With a lot of our long term neurological patients, they need that reassurance and support that their condition is being managed – and we can provide that reassurance, without them sometimes making an arduous journey to their clinician here at The Walton Centre.

“The team and I can provide a specialist link to The Walton Centre within their local communities, bridging the gap between primary and secondary care. It’s also important to note the way we strive to integrate patients into community support systems and local healthcare systems.”

 

 

Timeline of a typical INNS Nurse day

8.30am: Arrive at community clinic.

9am: First patient arrives with epilepsy, seizures are stable but prevalent issue is low mood. Signposted to local services and talking therapies.

9.30am: Another person living with epilepsy. Meds increase needed.

10-11am: Two stable Parkinson’s patients, signposted to local exercise groups and a referral to physiotherapy.

11am: A person with Huntington’s disease, multiple issues identified. Left with a plan to refer to neuropsychiatry, social services, and

occupational therapy.

11.30: A person with multiple sclerosis who has found worsening mobility. Full assessment completed and a referral to physiotherapy required.

12:00: Last clinic patient. A person with Parkinson’s disease, some adjustments required to medication regime and lifestyle advice provided.

12.30-1.30pm: Dictate clinic and a bite to eat.

1.45pm: First home visit is a patient with epilepsy who struggles with remote consults and clinic attendance.

2.30pm: Second home visit, joint visit with a community matron for a person with progressive supra nuclear palsy, having issues with swallowing.

3.45pm: Last home visit, a person with motor neurone disease. Full assessment given, issues identified, and advice given to GP.

Read Feature: Bringing care closer to you…

Professor Andrew Brodbelt and colleagues from The Walton Centre returned to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) 18 months after their first visit, to attend the grand opening of their Stroke and Neuroscience Centre. Here is an extract from Professor Brodbelt’s account of the latest trip.  

I was back on the plane to Maiduguri, Nigeria 18 months after my last visit, looking at the greenery far below that was recently renewed by the rainy season. This was following an invitation by Chief Medical Director Professor Ahidjo to attend the grand opening of the new UMHT Stroke and Neuroscience Centre we had seen being built on our previous trip.  The opening had been delayed due to severe flooding that had damaged much of the hospital’s infrastructure and equipment.   

On arrival in Maiduguri, I was met at the airport by a welcoming committee including Dr Baba Aji, a Consultant Neurologist here at The Walton Centre, who had given up family holiday time to be there. There was less security on this occasion, and we drove to The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where I was to spend the next few days. 

A key aim of the trip was to help set up equipment that had been donated to the hospital by The Walton Centre, as well as attend the opening ceremony for the new unit. Previously, we had gifted equipment to the hospital that was due to be replaced, rather than dispose of it.  

The opening ceremony involved two hours of speeches in the main lecture theatre. In our third row seats we had an excellent view of the backs of the press photographers. Many important people stood up to soliloquize. The whole event built up to the final talk by the Governor. Just before he was due to speak, it was announced that I would say a few words: this was a little unexpected. The best thing about my impromptu comments were their brevity. The Governor then orated eloquently about health care, the progress in Maiduguri, his support for the federal hospital, and thanked The Walton Centre for its support.   

We then moved to the formal opening of the stroke and neuroscience centre, named after the Shehu of Borno, the chief religious and cultural leader. Cleaners cheered the Governor and knelt to the Shehu. A ribbon was cut, a plaque unveiled, and a short tour of the facilities ensued. The Walton Centre was again thanked, as we toured round the theatres filled with preloved Walton Centre equipment. 

The image guidance machine uses scan data, which will allows surgeons to know where in relation to the patient’s scan they are on the head. To test it requires the correct scan sequences. More Walton Centre staff, Neuroradiologists Dr Samantha Mills and Dr Kumar Das provided support in setting this up. A volunteer (A University student) was procured to have a test scan that could be used to demonstrate the machine. The generator was switched on, as the hospital runs on solar power, and the MRI needs consistent power. The first ever volume scan was then performed on this scanner to be used for image guidance.  

Moving to main theatre, the electromagnetic (EM) image guidance machine had its first successful test run. We were also able to get the Leica Operating Microscope working. 

A document has been developed and signed by both hospitals sets out the collaboration between UMTH and The Walton Centre. It defines responsibilities, encourages clinical cooperation, and formalises the process started more than two years ago. 

 

Patients were being seen in the new centre in the following weeks. In fact, Dr Aji led the way by seeing the first new patient ever in the stroke and neuroscience centre in his office. There is a pathway to rapidly open the centre, area by area, until it is providing stroke and neurosciences services to the 30 million people it serves.   

On the way to an early morning flight back to Abuja, we attended the hospital orchard. Professor Ahidjo had developed this vacant land to provide subsidised fruit to patients and hospital staff. I was honoured to have my own mango tree planted. I hope that Dr Baba Aji and I will be able to follow the growth and development of the tree, the new Stroke and Neuroscience Centre, and the partnership with The Walton Centre. 

Read Feature: Returning to Maiduguri…

Earlier this year The Walton Centre celebrated staff who marked 10, 20, 30 and 40 years of service at the Trust with a special afternoon tea event. In total, over 1200 years of service was celebrated by this year’s recipients. Here we speak to a recipient from each decade.

10 years

Jonathan McGregor, Research Management and Governance Lead

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years – it’s absolutely flown by. I started in an audit and effectiveness role, before moving into the Datix team, then working on a project for the Spine Tango registry which led to my first role in research, and then my current role. It’s nice being able to move around and learn new things, whilst applying similar skills and experiences. “In my current role I help set up clinical studies, working with the clinical teams and other staff in the Neuroscience Research Centre. We’re one big team, working to find solutions for patients, and each other. “It’s hard to think about what the next 10 years will bring, I can barely think past the next 10 minutes! I’d like to stay in the research team, and definitely within the NHS. We’ll see!”

 

 

 

20 years

Dr Charlotte Dougan, Consultant Neurologist

“I was appointed as a Consultant at The Walton Centre in 2005. 20 years has gone very quickly and I’ve seen a lot of changes. The Walton Centre has been a fantastic place to work, it’s allowed me to develop my career in my specialist area of neurology and support advances in treatment and care for the benefit of patients. “One of the most rewarding aspects has been developing and delivering the neuromuscular service with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to rise to the challenges of providing great care. There’s a collegiate atmosphere at The Walton Centre, where everyone works together to deliver best practice. Things are always changing; the future is a fascinating place with gene therapy and precision medicine for treatment of patients with very complex and challenging diagnoses and conditions. “Looking ahead, we have considerable talent at The Walton Centre and I shall enjoy handing over the reins to the younger team members. It’s been all-encompassing, absorbing, yet very special 20 years here.”

 

30 years

Emma Baldock, Resuscitation Lead/ANP, Acute Response Team

“I wasn’t supposed to do neuro, I didn’t even have a placement until the last minute, but I was hooked and got my first role on Caton Ward on the old site in 1994, under the legendary Sister Edna Walker. In 1999 I was part of the original Critical Care Outreach team, led by Pat Crofton. “Over the past 25 years, there’s been a lot of change. But the essence of nursing has stayed the same – care and compassion. Staff here are a special group of people. It can be hard, especially dealing with some of the sickest patients, and sometimes it doesn’t go the way you want, but there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient go home with their family. “I feel privileged to have been at The Walton Centre for so long. One thing has never changed – we’re here for the patients, that’s been the most important thing every day for my 30 years.”

 

 

 

40 years

Cathy Stoneley, Advanced Nurse Practitioner

“I started so long ago; we wore capes and paper hats! My first role out of nursing school was on Jefferson Ward on the old site. We were straight into ward management and had a lot of responsibility in those days. I asked a lot of questions, read a lot of books, and listened to a lot of people. “Since then, I’ve done quite a few roles, including ICU, Critical Care Outreach and a matron role for a short time. I am currently a Neurovascular Advanced Nurse Practitioner. This role came from a project I put forward when a matron developed a project around it. I started the service in 2008; 17 years later, there’s five of us in the team. “We see patients in pre-op, on the wards and ICU, and for their first follow-up. It’s where we add value – doing a full holistic needs assessment of their health and situation following their haemorrhage, ensuring the best care. “I’m not ready to retire yet though, I’ve invested so much into the service and our patients – my heart is with the patients; they’re why I come to work.”

Read Feature: Our staff through the years…

A patient from North Wales whose debilitating headaches were sending him over the edge have all but gone thanks to an innovative new drug treatment from The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

Mike Kibble-White, 83, from Corwen, has been experiencing extreme pain for over 15 years. Mike has Short-lasting Unilateral Neuralgiform Headache with Conjunctival injection and Tearing or SUNCT, which is characterised by the most severe bursts of burning, piercing or throbbing pain in the face and head. In Mike’s case, jaw movement can send his pain-levels rocketing upwards, leaving him completely unable to function for hours.

He said: “I would dread anything that involved moving my jaw. Even yawning or brushing my teeth could bring me to my knees in pain. A three out of ten headache would become an eight or nine out of ten. Got to the point where I would wake up every day worrying about when it would happen and how long I’d be suffering for. It limited everything in my life and I was getting so sick of it. I was miserable.”

Mike was referred to The Walton Centre’s Headache Service, one of the UK’s largest services of its kind, after reporting to Wrexham Maelor Hospital for urgent treatment. Once under the specialist neurosciences hospital, Mike began exploring treatment options in order to reduce his pain.

He continued: “It was hard going at first, you obviously have to try different medications and treatments to find the right one for you. But other than a strong sedative, nothing was working. That was until my consultant Dr Silver recommended Atogepant.”

All known and recognised treatments for this disorder had been explored before considering Atogepant, a drug licensed specifically to treat migraine in the UK. Dr Silver acknowledged how he had until that point been unable to impact this devastatingly severe and disabling headache disorder, which had completely taken over Mike's life. Atogopant has never before been recognised in published literature to help in this disorder, but thought it could potentially help in Mike’s condition. 

Atogepant, which began being used on the NHS last year, is a medicine that works by blocking peptides responsible for pain transmission in the brain. This can mean that pain will happen less often for patients, and when they do happen, they may be less severe.

Mike has been on the new medication for over four months, he said: “It’s been amazing. It’s changed everything: mood, relationships, motivation and energy levels. I can finally relax and not worry about my jaw starting off a painful headache. Everybody has remarked on how I’ve improved. I realised I was getting pretty down in the dumps with all the pain. I’m chuffed to bits that I’ve been able to find something that works. Like a lot of people in chronic pain, it’s taken me a while to find a solution.

“It’s important to me that people understand that even though severe headache pain like mine is invisible, it is very, very real. I might look like a grumpy old so-and-so on the outside, but in reality that high level of pain can take you to a really dark place. I’d just ask that people be more kind to those with headache conditions, and think before they dismiss someone’s pain as ‘just a headache’.”

If you would like to learn more about The Walton Centre’s Headache Service, go to our website www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk    

Read Extremely rare headache disorder significantly reduced thanks to treatment and support from The Walton Centre…

When 61-year-old Graham Bell and his wife Sue were getting ready for an adventure in Wales for the day, they didn’t think it would end in life-saving brain surgery at The Walton Centre.

The Wirral-based couple were packing the car for the trip, when Sue noticed Graham’s face had fallen on one side, and he was also complaining of a bad headache. Quickly taken to A&E for further investigations, Stroke was ruled out. But, in the days that followed, a mass in Graham’s brain was discovered.

Graham said: “It was a lot of information to take in a short time. I had the family around me, but I think we were all in a bit of shock. I was not well, so finding out what was going on quickly was key for all of us.”

Graham was quickly reviewed by The Walton Centre, where experts told him to come immediately for emergency surgery.

Investigations into Graham’s symptoms revealed a 3cm abscess in his brain. The first operation to essentially drain the abscess was a success, and Graham began to improve.

Wife Sue said: “By this point Graham had deteriorated greatly. The ambulance brought us to The Walton Centre, and once there I knew it was serious. Graham was prepped for surgery right away. The team was so professional, but it was obvious that speed was of the essence.”

However, days later Graham began to deteriorate again, confirming that sepsis had already set in.

Graham said: “I was rushed back into surgery to drain the abscess again and they gave me high doses of anti-biotics to help tackle the infection. My clinical team worked to understand what was going on, and found that the infection had actually come from an infection in a cracked tooth I had. It was bizarre because I had no pain or swelling in my mouth to tell me there was something wrong.”

Graham spent six weeks recovering at The Walton Centre, where around-the-clock multidisciplinary care was given. The abscess has reduced significantly after surgery and treatment, but unfortunately scar tissue from the infection has left him with deficits.

Sue said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the hard work and care The Walton Centre has given Graham. It’s early days, and his latest review in July was encouraging. He still has issues with communicating and moving around, but we’re following the therapy and on our way to getting back to as close to normal as possible.”

So inspired by Graham’s treatment and care at the specialist neurosciences hospital, his children Rob and Aimee, and their friends, did a sponsored walk in Wirral, raising over £3,200 for The Walton Centre Charity.

Sue continued: “The hospital saved his life. For that there is nothing we can do to thank them enough! But as a family we can raise some money and give something back to support the outstanding care they give to patients every day.”

If you want to know more about our charity, go to www.thewaltoncentrecharity.org

 

-Ends-

 

Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

Read Tooth infection led to life-threatening brain abscess, but surgical intervention from The Walton Centre saved Graham’s life…

The Walton Centre, alongside The University of Liverpool, has launched the Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre (LINC) - a world-leading research hub uniting brain and mind research to tackle urgent neurological, neurosurgical, psychiatric, and brain health challenges.

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disease burden, affecting more than three billion people worldwide, and the second leading cause of death.

In recognition of this global health challenge, The World Health Organisation (WHO) published its global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders. LINC is a strategic partnership with The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Brain Health Northwest (which also includes Mersey Care and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust), based at the University of Liverpool, and is directly responsive to the WHO’s strategic objectives. Along with its international collaborators, LINC positions Liverpool as a global leader in neuroscience, advancing both research and healthcare delivery.

Neuroscience has traditionally been divided into two separate areas of research: the ‘brain’—the physical organ—and the ‘mind’—our thoughts, emotions, and consciousness. This divide is also reflected in how disorders are studied: conditions like epilepsy, brain tumours, and infections are classified as brain disorders, while mental illness, cognitive dysfunction, and developmental issues fall under mind disorders. Historically, these areas have been researched in isolation, with minimal collaboration between them.

However, these problems are deeply interconnected and cannot be effectively addressed in silos. For example:

•    Brain infections and inflammation can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
•    Epilepsy often occurs alongside brain tumours, and its treatment can significantly impact mental health.
•    Chronic pain—a leading cause of work absence and disability—is shaped by a complex interplay of brain physiology, mental health, and early childhood experiences.

To tackle these challenges, LINC brings together nearly 170 neuroscience researchers and regional clinicians with expertise spanning both brain and mind disciplines. Their goal is to develop innovative diagnostics, treatments, and interventions for a broad range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. By integrating clinical and behavioural neuroscience, LINC aims to improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life for individuals affected by these complex disorders.

Centre Director Professor Benedict Michael, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Liverpool, MRC Clinician Scientist, and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at The Walton Centre said: “This interdisciplinary approach allows us to bridge the gap between neurology, neurosurgery, pain, psychiatry, and psychology. By exploring the complex relationship between brain disease, dysfunction and mental health, LINC will develop pioneering solutions that transform lives.”

Dr Andy Nicolson, Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive of The Walton Centre, and Consultant Neurologist, said: “At the heart of LINC is its foundational partnership with The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, renowned internationally for its neurological care. It is the UK’s only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services. We treat nearly 150,000 individual patients annually and want them to receive the best care possible. It is tremendous to bring together the Trust’s clinical expertise and trials with the innovative research of LINC, and the benefit will extend beyond our region, to neurological patients worldwide.”

The Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre was officially launched this week at an event which gathered partners from industry (including Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland), policy makers (including the World Health Organisation and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority), third sector (including the Epilepsy Research Institute), and professional bodies (including the British Neuroscience Association).

Former Liverpool FC striker David Fairclough, also attended the launch. David Fairclough has maintained close ties to The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust since his wife, Jan, sadly passed away in April 2011 after suffering a brain aneurysm. His personal experience has made him a passionate advocate for brain health and a patron of The Walton Centre Charity.

Professor Louise Kenny, Executive Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool said: “A core pillar of our work in the Faculty of Health and Life is building strong partnerships with organisations both locally and globally to create meaningful impact. The Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre is the latest example of this commitment. It will be a world-leading centre focused on addressing urgent challenges in neurology, psychiatry, and brain health. Its work will have significant local and global relevance, making a real difference in people’s lives.”

Pictured l-r: Rosie Corbin, LINC Manager, Dr Nicoline Schiess, World Health Organisation (WHO), Professor Tony Marson, Deputy Director, LINC, Professor Louise Kenny, Professor Benedict Michal, David Fairclough, The Walton Centre Charity Patron. 

Read Bringing together brain and mind: world-leading neuroscience centre launched…

The surgical pathway has many steps to ensure patients are fit and able to undergo their procedure and recover properly afterwards

Pre-op

As with any surgical procedure, pre-operative assessments are carried out which are tailored to the patient and the procedure they are scheduled to have. Approximately 70 pre-op assessments are carried out at The Walton Centre every week.

Pre-operative Assessment Lead Katie Bradbrook said: “It’s one of the most important steps a patient takes before their procedure, and ultimately that journey to feeling better. The main goal of pre-op is to prepare patients for their upcoming surgery ensuring a higher chance of success and a smoother recovery.

“In pre-op our job is to ensure the patient is safe to undergo a general anaesthetic. Patients undergo various examinations and assessments to ensure this. Their overall health is evaluated, identifying any protentional risks or complications. This allows the teams to provide appropriate care before, during and after the procedure.”

Jefferson Ward

On the morning of their surgery, the majority of patients will report to Jefferson Ward. It’s here that all the pre-op measures that were outlined will be doublechecked, confirming that it is still safe to carry out the surgery. Unless they have been admitted the night before, all patients undergoing elective surgery start their journey in Jefferson Ward.

Ward Manager Helen McKay said: “It can be such an extraordinary time for patients. For many, it’s the day they’ve been waiting for to get something they might have been living with for a long time sorted – from much needed pain relief to having a tumour removed. Our team of clinical professionals do whatever they can to make sure patients are comfortable and feel ready for their procedure, from getting them in their gowns to going through the checklist to making sure they are physically ready to proceed.”

Forward wait

Forward wait, where patients arrive just before heading in for their operation, is a bustling area first thing in the morning. Many of the day’s surgery patients will be waiting here before heading for their designated theatre.

“The main goal of pre-op is to prepare patients for their upcoming surgery ensuring a higher chance of success and a smoother recovery.”

Theatres Department Matron Vicky Lightfoot said: “When a patient arrives here, we will go through the presurgery checklist again and make absolutely sure they understand which procedure they are here for, and the consent that has been taken. We also make sure they are physically marked in the right places if the surgery is on one side in particular.

“Patients can be a bit tense by the time they get to the Theatres Department, so we try to keep the atmosphere light and positive while they are waiting. We have a range of staff in this area, but our fantastic team of healthcare assistants really make a huge difference to the patient experience.”

Recovery

Once their surgery has finished, a patient will be moved to the Theatre Recovery Room, an eight-bed unit next to the operating theatres. Here they are looked after while they wake up from their anaesthetic.

Vicky continued: “It’s imperative that patients are constantly monitored in recovery to make sure they don’t deteriorate. It’s unlikely they will need to be returned to surgery but having them wake up and recover in the same department is important.

“Once we’ve assessed them and got their pain level under control, they can move up to their designated ward to continue their recovery.”

Cairns Ward

Cairns Ward is one of the neurosurgical wards at The Walton Centre, so has a steady stream of patients coming in after surgery.

Ward Manager Abbie Birch said: “The lovely team on Cairns Ward not only supports patients after their surgery but also gets them well enough to leave and recover at home. It can be here on the ward where clinicians can assess whether the surgery has had the desired effect, so helping patients feel as well as possible is really important.

“Patients can be a bit tense by the time they get to the Theatres Department, so we try to keep the atmosphere light and positive while they are waiting.”

“One of the best parts of our job is seeing patients respond well to the operation they have just had. When we see them improve, it’s life changing.”

Read Feature: The Surgical Journey…

Working with partners based at the North Mersey Stroke Service at Aintree University Hospital, The Walton Centre has optimised the 24/7 thrombectomy service pathway for patients experiencing strokes in Cheshire and Merseyside, as well a North Wales and the Isle of man. Recently, a Senior Thrombectomy Nurse role has begun to coordinate the pathway, ensuring patient care at the UK’s only specialist neurosciences hospital is seamless and efficient.

Starting at the end of May, senior trained staff nurses in the role have hit the ground running, handling initial referrals and coordinating the Walton thrombectomy team every time a stroke patient is transferred to the centre for a thrombectomy, thereby responding to the increasing demand for this procedure. The North Mersey Stroke Service at Aintree, along with other stroke centres in the region, refer eligible patients to The Walton Centre for thrombectomy.

Teams and departments at The Walton Centre involved in the pathway include: Consultant Neurologists, Neurology Registrars, Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologists, Radiographers and Radiology Scrub Nurses, Consultant Anaesthetists, Operating department practitioners, Theatre and ICU  team, nurses and doctors in the surgical and medication acute response team (SMART), Ward Clerks and Bed Managers. 

A mechanical thrombectomy is when blood clots causing a stroke are removed from the brain using a guidewire through a vein or artery, restoring oxygen supply to the areas of the brain affected. This is done under anaesthesia in specialist interventional radiology rooms, and require coordinated team working between all members of the thrombectomy team. Treated quickly, patients can avoid life-changing outcomes or death.

Clinical Lead for the Thrombectomy Service and Deputy Medical Director Dr Sacha Niven said: “I’m delighted that we’re able to essentially upgrade this vital service and begin to increase the treatment rate. The service moved to a 24/7 model in October 2021, and since then staff have been working above and beyond to provide this procedure to patients who need it. That’s not come without its challenges, and by having a specialist nursing role at the helm, a more streamlined process can be implemented.”

NHS England has recently prioritised the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy, encouraging services across the UK to make the procedure more widely available for patients who have certain types of acute ischaemic stroke. They have also set targets to increase provision to 15% of stroke patients who qualify for the procedure, a significant increase.  

This was reiterated to The Walton Centre and its partner organisations by Sir Professor Steven Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England and David Hargroves, National Clinical Director for Stroke Medicine, during their visit to review provision at the Trust in August 2024.

Divisional Director of Operations for Neurology Jen Duffy said: “The trend of people experiencing ischemic strokes is on the rise, so optimising access to our Thrombectomy Service is incredibly important. Collaborating with our partners and working hard to streamline the pathway will mean faster patient transfers, efficient treatment, and hopefully faster recovery times.”

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out the need for Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks (ISDNs) in all areas of England, bringing people and organisations together to deliver the best possible care for their population. There are approximately 85,000 patients who have a stroke each year, over 11,600 of those are in the North West region of England.

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Pictured: Various members of the team running The Walton Centre’s Thrombectomy Service.

Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

Read The Walton Centre has enhanced thrombectomy pathway thanks to partner collaboration and new specialist thrombectomy nurse role…