STROKE patients in Hampshire are set to benefit from a dedicated rehabilitation unit in the New Forest.

The facility, at Milford on Sea, is the first of its kind in the area and is now treating patients from all over the region.

Stroke patients are given specialist care in a relaxed, pleasant and appropriate environment at the ten-bedded unit, which they are transferred to for intensive rehabilitation by a specialist team of nursing therapy and medical staff after the acute phase of stroke is stabilised.

The move by New Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) is part of the reprovision of services formerly provided at Lymington Infirmary.

In addition to the stroke unit the PCT is working in partnership with Hampshire County Council Social Services to provide respite beds at Solent Mead Nursing Home in Lymington.

It is also making the best use of beds in other community hospitals in the area by redeploying Infirmary staff to ensure more patients can be treated closer to their homes.

Multi-disciplinary rehabilitation teams are also being developed to allow patients to be treated at home where appropriate.

The decision to set up a specialist stroke facility came after an audit of stroke care carried out by the Royal College of Physicians which found that around 6,000 people died unnecessarily each year in the UK because of a lack of specialist stroke care services.

Dr Giles Durward, who heads up the specialist team of staff, said: "This is a major step forward for stroke patients in the area. We have a high rate of stroke in the New Forest and there is a great need for this type of specialist support.

"These patients were previously treated at Lymington Infirmary and other non-specialist centres in the area. Now they can be treated by a dedicated team.

"We are developing a team committed to intensive stroke rehabilitation work and are currently recruiting more stroke therapists and nursing staff to help us provide the most comprehensive service we can."