General News
14 July, 2023
National honour for hospital stroke unit
Tourists Allan and Lareen Bovill know first hand how staff at Horsham hospital can be life-savers. Now they have been recognised as among Australia’s top six health units for stroke care - for the fourth year in a row. GH Stroke Coordinator Deidre...
Tourists Allan and Lareen Bovill know first hand how staff at Horsham hospital can be life-savers.
Now they have been recognised as among Australia’s top six health units for stroke care - for the fourth year in a row.
GH Stroke Coordinator Deidre Rennick attributed the award to a superb team approach.
“A full early assessment ensures patients get the right care immediately in the acute stage,” she said.
"Access to a quality inpatient rehabilitation service completes the cycle of high standard care.”
GH chief operations officer Ben Kelly praised the stroke team for continuing its winning ways.
"Grampians Health is extremely proud of Deidre and the incredible team in Horsham for this award," she said.
"To receive the award for the fourth year highlights the quality of care that Deidre and the team provides.
"Stroke is such a serious condition, needs a timely response, and with Horsham following the standardised pathway, this is something that we do really well under Deidre’s leadership."
Mr and Mrs Bovill, from Queensland, were setting up their caravan at Beulah caravan park when Allan experienced a dizzy spell.
The ambulance came from Horsham, and paramedics took him to Wimmera Base Hospital, the only hospital in the region with a stroke team qualified to administer the medication to a stroke patient.
“Once they got Allan to the hospital, he was assessed by a doctor straight away, sent for a CT scan, and while they were doing that, they got a neurologist on a telehealth call who did some cognitive tests,” Lareen said.
“Once they were able to ascertain it was a stroke, they were able to inject the clot-dissolving medication into Allan."
GH staff even helped Lareen bring their caravan to Horsham.
“The ICU ward clerk made a call to Grampians Health’s volunteer coordinator, and before we knew it, a lovely local gentleman called Max drove me to Beulah and brought the caravan back to Horsham,” she said.
“That was such a relief for me because it meant I had a change of clothes and a familiar home, even though we were 420 kilometres away from anyone that I knew.”
Allan spent two nights in ICU and four nights in the Oxley acute ward before being transferred to the Wyuna ward for 10 days rehabilitation.
“I had a room to myself and was able to get plenty of rest during the night while they worked on my rehab during the day,” he said.
“All the allied health team who worked at getting me back on track were just great.
“The physiotherapists got me walking again, and the OTs helped retrain my brain so I can use the left side of my body again.”
After leaving the hospital, the Bovills went to Wangaratta with the assistance of relatives, where Allan continued his rehabilitation program.
The couple said they would be forever thankful for the care Allan received.
“Everyone at Horsham has just been amazing, from the ambulance team and emergency team to the allied health clinicians, ward nurses and of course Max,” Lareen said.
“But we will particularly be forever grateful to Deidre and her stroke care team.
"It is so comforting to know that a regional hospital has such an important service that is so professional and so willing to go the extra mile to provide the best care.”