Charities in warning over strokes care

SCOTS stroke charities last night called on the Government to take urgent action to prevent a “stroke care crisis”.

An NHS report on the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme, published yesterday revealed the target which aims to help reduce the risk of death and improve people’s ability to get back home is still being missed by a wide margin.

The target for the “stroke care bundle” of all treatments and interventions for patients with strokes should be met by 80 per cent of sufferers.

But the most recent figures show just 64 per cent of patients got the appropriate care in 2019 and while that is an improvement from 59 per cent the year before, it is feared the impact of Covid-19 has worsened the position.

Scotland’s largest stroke care charity, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, is calling for the Scottish Government to set out a long-term package of support.

The stroke care bundle should ensure quick admission to a stroke unit as well as fast access to vital interventions like a brain scan, swallow screen and administering of aspirin.

The report shows no health board in Scotland met the 80 per cent compliance target.

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in Scotland and the most common cause of disability.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland chief executive Jane-Claire Judson said: “Key stroke care targets were still being missed before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This report is a warning that we can’t let progress towards meeting reasonable targets and delivery of better stroke care stall or go backwards.

“Coronavirus is putting the NHS under considerable pressure. We are also being told the virus could be with us for some time. We need the Scottish Government to come forward with a package of measures that helps stroke care continue to improve and helps people live well at home.

“The Covid-19 crisis must not develop into a wider stroke care crisis. We have an opportunity to do things better to give people the best possible recovery and reduce future pressures on the NHS.”

Andrea Cail, director of the Stroke Association, said while she was pleased to see the improvement “more than a third of stroke patients still do not receive timely basic care”.

She added: “We believe everyone should have access to this care no matter where they live or when the stroke happened. There is still variation between NHS boards, with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire in particular seeing a younger stroke population.

“We know the Scottish Government shares our concerns and we welcome their commitments to improve stroke care.”