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The Closure of Yeovil’s Hyper-Acute Unit

A significant change is underway in how urgent stroke care will be delivered across Somerset, a development that impacts patients and healthcare professionals across the region. NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board has confirmed the closure and removal of the specialist hyper-acute stroke unit (HASU) at Yeovil District Hospital, a process scheduled to begin this spring. This strategic reconfiguration means that Yeovil will no longer receive patients experiencing an acute, emergency stroke event that requires immediate, hyper-acute treatment.

For residents in South Somerset, this change fundamentally alters the critical first steps of the stroke pathway. Instead of being admitted to Yeovil, patients identified as having an acute stroke will now be transported directly by ambulance to one of the larger, consolidated specialist units… the primary receiving centres will be Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

This decision aligns with national NHS guidelines which strongly advocate for centralising hyper-acute stroke services into fewer, high-volume ‘centres of excellence’. The clinical rationale is robust: these larger units can maintain 24/7 access to highly specialised multidisciplinary teams, cutting-edge diagnostic equipment, and consistent thrombectomy services. Extensive national research demonstrates that patients treated in these dedicated HASUs have demonstrably better outcomes, including improved survival rates and reduced long-term disability, even if the ambulance journey is slightly longer. While the clinical evidence supports consolidation, the closure does raise valid concerns within the local community regarding increased travel times for families during a time of crisis..


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