Dr Bernie Marden, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Somerset, said:
“We welcome the decision by the Secretary of State that the requests for a call-in do not meet the threshold for ministerial intervention and the Minister’s view that NHS Somerset is best placed to determine the needs of our local population.
“The decision we took was the right one for the people of Somerset. We remain committed to making these improvements to stroke services that will lead to fewer people dying or suffering serious disability.
“We will continue to work closely with partners, patient groups, staff and our local MPs, including through our Stroke Stakeholder Reference Group, which is well established and is independently chaired by Healthwatch Somerset to make sure local voices are heard.
“It’s a complex project and there is still a long way to go but we will work through issues with our local partners and community representatives as part of the implementation phase.
“The changes to stroke services in Somerset will mean better emergency treatment and better recovery for stroke patients. A considerable amount of work has gone into this programme, including hugely valuable input from clinicians, staff, stroke survivors and their loved ones.”
