A NEW stroke unit for Dursley’s hospital has been officially opened.

Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Edward Gillespie, performed the official opening of the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit at Vale Community Hospital on Tuesday.

The unit, which opened its doors in February, contains 14 specialist stroke beds and six general community beds.

It has been designed to support stroke patients who are no longer in need of specialist medical care but still require rehabilitation that cannot be delivered at home.

When performing the unveiling of the commemorative plaque, Lord-Lieutenant Edward Gillespie, said: “I am enormously impressed by the vision of the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit, and how this special facility bridges the gap in post-stroke care in Gloucestershire; enabling people who have suffered a stroke to have the best possible recovery.

Plans for the unit came about following an NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group review which found a lack of stroke rehabilitation facilities.

When announced, residents expressed fears over the loss of beds for other patients.

At the time a spokesman for NHS Gloucestershire CCG and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust assured them that ‘sufficient general community hospital beds would remain available to meet the needs of local people’.

Cllr Doina Cornell, the leader of Stroud District Council, said the new unit “fills a vital gap between stroke care at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and home, and I’m proud to see this service is being provided in my home town.”

Angela Dodd, the therapy lead for the new unit, said: “This specialist facility is a centralised, co-ordinated unit where we can focus our resources.

“By providing a community bed-based service here at Vale Community Hospital, we aim to continue the rehabilitation journey for patients following a stroke in a suitable, fit-for-purpose environment.”

"If it is safe and effective to do so, a person no longer requiring inpatient specialist rehabilitation will receive ongoing support in their own home from community stroke specialist nurses, or the Early Supported Discharge (ESD) community team. This comprises community stroke specialist nurses, specialist therapists and rehabilitation assistants."

Ingrid Barker, chair of Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust, which manages the hospital, said: “The opening of the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit means Gloucestershire now has its own dedicated community stroke rehabilitation service for the first time. This will be an invaluable and welcome resource for the people of Gloucestershire.”