It could ease pressure on other services
Southmead Hospital in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA)(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Stroke patients at Southmead Hospital are set to be some of the first in the country to benefit from a revolutionary new test which could help doctors prescribe more effective treatments.
Southmead Hospital treats around 1,500 stroke patients every year and is the largest stroke centre in the South West. Alongside the benefits to stroke patients, use of the test could reduce pressure on other services by preventing avoidable readmissions.
The test, developed by Genedrive, a UK-based genetic testing company, allows hospitals to identify patients who are unlikely to respond to clopidogrel, a commonly prescribed drug used to reduce the risk of blood clots that can cause further strokes. Those people often leave hospital with a prescription that may not protect them against another stroke.
Professor Tim Whittlestone, Bristol NHS Group chief medical and innovation officer, said: “We are pleased to have the support of Genedrive, which enables us to introduce point-of-care clopidogrel genotype testing within our service. This approach to stroke secondary prevention allows for more individualised treatment decisions, helping us improve long-term outcomes for our diverse Bristol patient population.”
More than one in four people carry genetic variants that can affect how well they respond to clopidogrel. Half of people of Asian ancestry are resistant to clopidogrel, according to Medline Plus, a US Government website.
The introduction of the test has been made possible thanks to £80,000 of charitable funding from the Medlock Charitable Trust, with the funding managed through Southmead Hospital Charity. The investment allows patients in Bristol to benefit from the technology immediately, while longer-term NHS funding is explored; there are ongoing conversations with the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board around longer term funding options.
David Medlock, chair of the Medlock Charitable Trust, based in Bath, said: “It’s a privilege to help equip our local NHS stroke medicine service with cutting edge technology which will not only help patients but also save money.”
About 100,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year, according to charity the Stroke Association. There are nearly 20,000 stroke survivors registered with a GP in the area covered by the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board.
A stroke is a type of cerebrovascular disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in the UK. Strokes account for roughly 75% of deaths from cerebrovascular diseases.
Dr Gino Miele, chief executive officer of Genedrive, said: “We are grateful to David and the Medlock Charitable Trust for providing the funding that enables implementation of our rapid genetic test at Southmead Hospital. As a result of this support, stroke patients in the region will immediately benefit from optimised antiplatelet therapy while Genedrive continues to engage with the local ICB to secure the longer-term provision of this life saving test.”