Stroke Strategy Welcome, But Can't Come Soon Enough, Says Help The Aged, UK

Main Category: Stroke
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 07 Dec 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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Reacting to the Government's new strategy on stroke announced today by Health Secretary Alan Johnson which will increase funding for training and awareness, Paul Cann, director of policy and external relations at Help the Aged, comments:

'Stroke can be a lethal and debilitating event which a large number of older people suffer - however, the care of those who are suspected of having a stroke is patchy.

'According to the strategy, less than 35 per cent of hospitals actually provide a scan within seven days for people suspected of having a stroke - this is simply unacceptable. Stroke must be treated as a medical emergency and treatment should reflect its seriousness as a killer. Stroke is one of the top three causes of death - with one person every five minutes being affected, most of whom are over 65. Leaving many people a week before effective assessment simply isn't good enough and shows the way in which health priorities are skewed against older people.

'The current performance of hospitals must improve, so this new strategy is welcome. However, the current arrangements mean that if you have a stroke outside of working hours or away from a major urban centre, an older person suffering a stroke would be at real risk of death.'

Notes:

The new stroke strategy promises high risk groups an MRI scan within 24 hours and claims that 6800 deaths and cases of diasability could be avoided each and every year if new policies were enacted.

Help the Aged advice on stroke can be found on the Help the Aged website.

Help the Aged is the charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people in the UK and overseas from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. It campaigns to raise public awareness of the issues affecting older people and to bring about policy change. The Charity delivers a range of services: information and advice, home support and community living, including international development work. These are supported by its paid-for services and fundraising activities - which aim to increase funding in the future to respond to the growing unmet needs of disadvantaged older people. Help the Aged also funds vital research into the health issues and experiences of older people to improve the quality of later life.

Help the Aged urgently needs donations and support to help it in the increasingly challenging fight to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect.

http://www.helptheaged.org.uk