From April 11, Walsall residents will be taken the few miles to Wolverhampton for treatment because the stroke unit at the town’s Manor Hospital is not considered busy enough to keep running.
But rehabilitation will continue to be provided in Walsall because patients prefer to be closer to home while they recover.
A decision was made by NHS Walsall Clinical Commission Group’s (CGC) Governing Body after consultation with patients, their families and clinicians.
Treatment will be centralized at a unit at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton on the basis that it will provide complete and specialised treatment for patients suffering from a stroke.
Starting next month all new onset suspected stroke cases in Walsall will be treated at a specialist stroke unit at New Cross Hospital run by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.