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The Stroke Association is campaigning for a higher priority to be given to stroke prevention, treatment, care and research. We believe that action in the following areas would reduce the burden of stroke on individuals and the nation:-
End the postcode lottery of care for stroke patients
Stroke is a devastating condition. The effects of a stroke can vary enormously and depend on which part of the brain has been damaged and the extent of that damage. Those affected by stroke, whether patients, their families, or carers, know what it is like to experience the life-changing effects that stroke brings. The complex needs of stroke patients are best met by specialist staff who understand their condition.
Stroke units are known to save lives and to reduce both disability and institutionalisation. But only one in four patients spend half of their hospital stay in a stroke unit.
The Government recognised the need to introduce standards for stroke care with the publication of the National Service Framework for Older People in March 2001. But it is not until April 2004 that hospitals in England are required to have a stroke unit. By that date all stroke patients of all ages should expect to have access to this type of specialist care. We are urging the Government to make stroke a stated priority for action to ensure that this happens. The evidence shows that those people who receive care in an organised setting have a 25% better chance of avoiding death or serious disability. Action is needed now.
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Bring about improvements to community health care
The health care needs of people affected by stroke can be complex. Those working at primary care level are in the best position to make certain that services are shaped around the needs of patients. One of their responsibilities is to tackle health problems and bring about improvements in community health care. This is already happening in relation to cancer, with the appointment of a primary care lead in each locality.
Stroke patients, their carers and families, tell us what it is like to be on the receiving end of health and social care. Regrettably, not everyone's experience is as good as it should be. The Stroke Association is calling for lead primary care stroke physicians to be introduced, to champion better services for those affected by stroke.
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Invest in research and take steps to put existing findings into practice
Many of the improvements in our understanding of stroke have resulted from research. The Stroke Association is a major funder of such research, investing some £2 million each year. There are many questions still to answer but, despite the burden of disability that stroke brings, it accounts for only a very small part of the money committed to medical research by Government bodies and other funding agencies.
Recent work has confirmed the need for research into areas such as physical therapy. Another area often neglected is the emotional impact of stroke. It makes sense not only to invest in new research, but also to take steps to ensure that existing research findings are put into practice. Over one hundred MPs agree, and have signed an Early Day Motion highlighting their concerns. There has been a recent commitment on the part of the Government to fund research into cancer, yet stroke kills three times as many women as breast cancer. We are urging the Government, and other funding agencies, to re-examine the priority they give to stroke and to invest much needed resources into preventing and treating this condition.
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Take action to introduce stroke prevention programmes
We are committed to preventing strokes. Risk factors for stroke have received little public attention compared with heart disease and cancer. We believe much more could be done.
Someone who has already had a stroke is at a significantly higher risk of having another. Some ethnic and social groups are also at greater risk. Uncontrolled blood pressure is the biggest cause of avoidable stroke, but many people do not realise they are affected. For every 10 people who die of stroke, four could have been saved if they had arranged regular blood pressure checks and then followed medical advice. Smoking, too, plays a role. It is estimated that among those aged under 65, two in five deaths from stroke are linked to smoking. Diet is also important. The Stroke Association believes that more action is needed to raise awareness of stroke.
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