RPA first in Australia to receive Diamond status in World Stroke Organisation awards. 

RPA has become the first hospital in Australia to be awarded Diamond status in the World Stroke Organisation’s Angels Awards, which recognise excellence in stroke treatment and care.

The quarterly awards acknowledge high performing hospitals and aim to improve patient outcomes by setting global benchmarks for best practice stroke care.

“It’s an outstanding achievement. Our dedicated team includes NSW Ambulance, Emergency Department staff, radiology, interventional neuroradiology teams, Intensive Care Unit staff and the Comprehensive Stroke Service,” Associate Professor John Worthington, RPA's Director of Stroke, said.

RPA's Comprehensive Stroke Service team offers 24/7 endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) for ischaemic stroke patients from across New South Wales.

So far in 2022, 90 patients received ECR, including 70 patients transferred to RPA from across NSW.

And, 29 per cent of patients have received stroke reperfusion therapy, well above the Australian standard of 15 per cent.

“This award has been achieved through the extraordinary efforts of our team who provide world class treatment for our patients every day. We work together to deliver fast and effective care to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients,” Kylie Tastula, a Nurse Practitioner with the Neurosciences team, said.

The District’s Chief Executive Dr Teresa Anderson said, “This award is a credit to all members of our amazing Stroke team who work together to achieve extraordinary outcomes for our patients. This dedicated team, working in partnership with the ED, imaging and other specialities, has made such a difference to our stroke patient outcomes.”

The acknowledgement coincides with National Stroke Week, which aims to raise awareness of the risks and signs of stroke.

The Stroke Foundation recommends the F.A.S.T. test as an easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke.

Using the F.A.S.T. test involves asking these simple questions:

Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?

Arms Can they lift both arms?

Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

Time Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.