Campaigners Warn Yeovil Stroke Unit Closure Will Endanger Patients
Campaigners and survivors highlight dangers of self-transport amid ambulance delays
Last updated 11th Sep 2025
A rising number of stroke victims are putting themselves at risk by driving themselves to A&E, campaigners warn, as concerns grow over long ambulance waits.
Ray Tostevin, Chair of the Quicksilver Community Group, has been campaigning to stop the closure of Yeovil Hospital’s Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU).
“It seems absurd to close the HASU at Yeovil and expect patients to be taken by ambulance to Taunton and Dorchester, which are many miles away, and still get a good outcome,” Tostevin said. “We’ve seen some examples in our area… where some patients have been waiting for five hours before being able to be treated. It’s just unacceptable that the Yeovil HASU should be closed.”
Stroke survivor Steve D'Arcy shared his experience of relying on the unit for rapid care.
“It’s outrageous, really. At the start, people thinking, ‘Oh, ambulance isn’t going to be here in time, let’s get in my car and drive,’ is absolutely…dangerous. You put yourself and others at risk” Steve said.
Steve, who suffered a stroke at home, praised the hospital staff and aftercare that helped him recover. “They made me feel at ease. They were like, ‘Okay, no problem, don’t worry, we’ll sort it, we’ll figure it out.’ They’re the experts. I’ll listen to them” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of family support in his recovery: “My wife gives me the fuel and my little girl gives me the smile. She keeps my motivation going. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be.” Steve also said that if the unit hadn’t been at Yeovil, his family could not have visited every day, further emphasizing the need for care close to home.
The Stroke Association’s new figures show that every 22 minutes, someone with a stroke in the UK drives themselves to A&E, with 26.8% of patients taking their own transport in 2024/25.
In response, a spokesperson for the Stroke Association said: “The Stroke Association will always look to support changes to our health service that will prevent stroke, improve access to life-saving and disability reducing treatments, or provide better rehabilitation for life after stroke. There is strong evidence that reorganising acute stroke services can save lives, make it more likely for stroke patients to have a good recovery, and improve patient experience of care.
“We completely appreciate the concerns of stroke survivors and their families throughout the area regarding travelling a greater distance from home. However, evidence shows that patients taken to larger stroke units, such as Taunton, that are better staffed, have the latest equipment and are open 24 hours a day, are more likely to survive a stroke and have lesser disabilities as a result of their stroke.”
Both Tostevin and D'Arcy stress the importance of keeping local stroke care accessible.
The Integrated Care Board have been approached for comment.