Stroke services

A stroke is a serious and life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted—either by a blockage (ischaemic stroke) or bleeding (haemorrhagic stroke). You may also hear it referred to as a “brain attack”, highlighting the urgency, much like a heart attack.

Why time matters

A stroke is a medical emergency. Immediate treatment is critical and can significantly reduce the level of damage to the brain. The brain relies on a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients carried by the blood to function properly. When this supply is interrupted, brain cells begin to die. This can lead to brain damage, loss of body function, long-term disability, or, in severe cases, death. That’s why recognising the signs and acting quickly is so important.

Stroke conditions (NHS website) Stroke signs and symptoms (Stroke Association)

Our stroke admission pathways

UHL follows a structured and responsive stroke admission pathway to ensure patients receive timely and effective care:

  • Paramedic pre-alert: Ambulance crews notify the Emergency Department before arrival. In 2024, this was enhanced with a pre-hospital video triage pilot, enabling early assessment by the stroke team.
  • Specialist stroke team notification: On arrival at the Emergency Department, patients with suspected stroke are immediately assessed by the Stroke Team.
  • Emergency treatment: Patients who may benefit from clot-busting medication (thrombolysis) are prioritised for urgent assessment, a brain scan, and, if suitable, rapid treatment.
  • Advanced intervention: For certain patients, a second scan (CT Angiogram) checks if a clot-removal procedure (thrombectomy) may be suitable. If eligible, patients are referred to the regional specialist centre in Nottingham.

Our services

Our inpatient stroke services are located on Wards 25 and 26, on the third floor of the Windsor Building. Ward 25 includes our admission and assessment area, where new stroke patients are first evaluated.

Day-to-day medical care is led by the consultant-in-charge and delivered by a team of doctors-in-training, with support from associate specialists, trust grade doctors, and physician assistants. High-quality nursing care plays a vital role in preventing complications after a stroke and is coordinated by ward sisters on each ward.

Rehabilitation

After initial medical investigations, the service focus’s on starting rehabilitation as early as possible. This is provided by our dedicated team of therapists, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists, who work together to support your recovery.

Every morning, our team holds a multi-disciplinary board round to set personalised goals and plan each patient’s care.

Your in-patient stay

If you have any questions during your stay, please speak with the ward staff, who will direct your query to the appropriate member of the team. If your concerns are not fully resolved, a consultant can provide further clarification, and a follow-up appointment can be arranged by ward staff if needed.

They are also an active centre for teaching and research. You may be invited to take part in research studies or teaching sessions as part of your care, though participation is always voluntary.

Pre-clinic information
At our one-stop TIA clinic, we review people who are suspected to have had a TIA (mini-stroke) or minor stroke.

The clinic is open 7 days a week, and is now located in the Clinic Area of the Balmoral Building, at Leicester Royal Infirmary. If you have been referred to the TIA clinic and have not heard about an appointment within 48 hours, please call the TIA clinic to check if we have received the information and acted accordingly.

  • You need to be referred by a clinician (either from a primary care or hospital clinician). Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to provide a self-referral or walk-in service presently.
  • Please DO NOT DRIVE to the clinic.You are not allowed to drive if you have had a suspected TIA or Stroke, and further advice will be provided after review in the clinic and clarification of diagnosis.  
  • Please bring all your medication (or medication list) with you for review. 

This link takes you to the patient information leaflet for the TIA Clinic. 

Information for referring doctors:

GPs can refer patients using the PRISM system. 
UHL clinicians can refer using the PLEXIAS system (accessible via NC or the TIA clinic Insite page).

If for any reason, the electronic system is not working, please use the paper form (linked below)
**Please DO NOT post referrals**, and also, note that this is NOT a walk-in service.

GPs with queries can also call the TIA clinic nurses for initial advice, and they will advise or forward you to a Consultant, where needed.  Alternatively, you may call the oncall Stroke Consultant via UHL switchboard.

TIA Clinic Phone No: 0116 258 (5431)

Visit AccessAble for accessibility information for TIA Clinic.

Daily_TIA_Clinic_Referral_form_(UHL) (132kB pdf)