Experts from the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust stroke unit have been invited to India to give advice on setting up the country's first ever stroke unit.

Consultant Physician Dr Bhaskar Mandal has already been out there to see and advise on the treatment of a very special patient in the Apollo Hospital, Ludhiana. This week (22-06-09) Ashford Hospital's Chaucer Ward Sister Usha Sagoo and colleague clinical specialist in stroke rehabilitation, physiotherapist Michelle Green are also at the hospital in the Punjab, sharing their expertise and teaching the medical team the Chaucer Ward approach to the care of stroke patients!

Said Dr Mandal: "For quite some while I have been using my free time to visit groups of patients in Southall and visiting Sikh Temples giving talks on stroke management and explaining how much can be achieved if a stroke patient is able to receive the high standard of treatment and care that we give at Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust.

"Recently, in the Punjab, his Holiness Satguruji the leader of the Namdhari Sikh Vidyak Jatha experienced a stroke and I was asked for my help, and I was happy to go out there.  I am pleased to say that he has made good progress and his doctors are in touch with me on a daily basis. 

"Now the hospital has taken the opportunity to set up a stroke unit in Satguruji's name and our Trust has been collaborating with the medical team in the Punjab to give them guidance on how to set up a stroke unit. This unit will not only be the first of its kind in the Punjab but will be unique in the whole of India."            
      
Sister Usha and clinical specialist Michelle have already used email to report back to their colleagues at Ashford Hospital that they have arrived safely.  They were given a warm send-off on Saturday (20 June) by members of the Namdhari Sikh Temple in Southall before flying to Delhi. There they changed planes for an internal flight and the final leg of their journey, a 2.5 hr car drive to Ludhiana.

Said Dr Mandal: "They have already began work, teaching and sharing their expertise, and this will include aspects of patient and carer education as well as explaining to professional medical colleagues how and why we do things to achieve the best results for our patients."

Usha and Michelle are due to return this weekend and Dr Mandal will be flying out to the Apollo Hospital in a few weeks time.

Pictured here in the Chaucer Ward stroke Unit garden at Ashford Hospital are (left to right): Chaucer Ward Sister Usha Sagoo Harvinder Singh Sian, President Namdhari Sikh Vidyak Jatha and Clinical specialist in Stroke rehabilitation physiotherapist Michelle Green.

A welcoming party of members of senior religious leaders of Delhi Namdhari Sikhs, Members of the Legislative Assembly from Delhi State and a Member of the Indian Parliament all greeted Sister Usha Sagoo (wearing glasses) and clinical specialist Michelle Green together with Mr Harvinder Singh Sian who is President of the Namdhari Sikh Vidyak Jatha from England (yellow strap across shoulder) when they arrived at Delhi Airport on Sunday.