STROKE patients can now be treated in a new specialist centre, which opened its doors at Fairfield Hospital on Friday.

The specialist primary stroke centre is one of only three in Greater Manchester.

All new stroke patients within Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust — including those from North Manchester Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and Royal Oldham Hospital — are now being referred to the centre.

Ward Five at Fairfield has become the primary stroke centre, with 16 beds, and Wards 11a and 11b are for sub-acute and stroke rehabilitation patients.

The change is part of plans to reconfigure services to improve stroke care across the North East sector of Greater Manchester, following a request from the Greater Manchester Stroke and Cardiac Network.

Dr Khalil Kawafi, consultant stroke physician and clinical lead at Pennine Acute Trust, said: “All the stroke physicians, together with all our stroke teams working within Pennine Acute, are really excited about this reconfiguration.

“This opportunity will benefit patients across the whole spectrum of stroke care, from the acute phase and then the sub-acute and rehabilitation phases. It is a real opportunity to consolidate our already outstanding stroke service, which will not only benefit stroke patients now, but future patients.”

Cath Curley, thrombolysis co-ordinator and specialist nurse, added: “This is an exciting time and gives the trust the opportunity to build on the excellent stroke care achieved at Fairfield General Hospital, especially during the patient’s acute period of care.”

Pennine will also provide sub-acute and stroke rehabilitation beds at Royal Oldham Hospital and district stroke centres at Royal Oldham and North Manchester Hospital.