A virtual assessment system at Watford General Hospital has been hailed a "huge success" after helping hundreds of stroke patients in its first year.

The stroke video triage system allows ambulance crews to link with a hospital stroke specialist via a tablet to assess suspected stroke patients.

This means specialists can request imaging and tests before the patient even arrives at the hospital, leading to prompt access to treatment and better patient outcomes.

Karyn Butchard, lead stroke nurse specialist and clinical lead for the project, said: "Getting a specialist assessment before arriving at the hospital allows suspected stroke patients to receive imaging right away when they arrive at Watford General, speeding up their access to critical stroke treatments."

The initiative, a joint effort between West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, was launched at Watford General Hospital in December 2023.

Since the system was launched, 99 per cent of stroke patients were scanned within an hour of arrival, up from 80 per cent before the system was implemented.

Brittany Wells, clinical lead at the East of England Ambulance Service Trust, said: "Stroke video triage is a huge success at Watford General Hospital.

"Since implementation, we have seen a 17-minute reduction in the time from the patient arriving at hospital to being treated with clot-busting medication."