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World class stroke care promised

05/12/2007

A new strategy to prevent thousands of deaths and disabilities from stroke has been unveiled this morning by the health secretary.

Alan Johnson said the plans would ensure "world class stroke services" that are more in line with the UK's cancer and heart disease care.

Stroke is the UK's third biggest killer, with 50,000 people dying each year.

Anyone in a higher-risk group who suffers a minor stoke has been promised an MRI scan within 24 hours and those in lower-risk groups will have one within seven days.

These scans are thought to lead to an 80 per cent reduction in the number of people who go on to suffer a major stroke.

Currently less than 35 per cent of healthcare providers manage to scan people who have had a minor stroke within one week.

Those suspected to have had a stroke will be immediately transferred to a specialist centre offering clinical assessment and clot-busting drugs. Each local area will provide care around-the-clock in at least one centre.

A fund of £105 million has been made available for extra training posts and to help raise public awareness of stroke.

The government estimates that the strategy could result in up to 6,800 deaths and cases of disability being avoided every year.

A further 1,600 strokes could be averted through preventative work.

For those who do suffer a stroke, the government has promised immediate access to high quality rehabilitation and support in a stroke unit to allow them to get home faster.

Mr Johnson said today's strategy is a "bold vision for the delivery of world-class stroke services".

"Despite the considerable gains in developing stroke units and falling mortality rates, there remains much to be done to bring stroke services in line with those for cancer and heart disease," he added.

"Now is the time to close that gap. We can and we must now give stroke the attention it deserves. Saving thousands of lives is a prize too great to ignore."

Jon Barrick, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: "This is a historic time for stroke - no longer will stroke be seen as an inevitable, untreatable consequence of old age.

"This is a momentous opportunity to transform the outcomes and lives of stroke survivors in this country."