Iris Robinson MP MLA, Chairperson
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Room 412
Parliament Buildings
BELFAST
BT4 3XX
E-mail: committee.hssps@niassembly.gov.uk
Tel: 028 9052 1920
Fax: 028 9052 1667
25 April 2008
Mr Michael McGimpsey MLA
Minister for Health, Social Services & Public Safety
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
BELFAST
BT4 3SQ
Dear
The Committee welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft Stroke Strategy and is grateful to the officials for attending the meeting on 10 April. As you know the Committee also took evidence from Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Association and Speechmatters.
The Committee welcomes the very constructive way in which these two organisations have been engaged by the Department in the consultation process. The organisation of the four consultation events and the production of the easy access document have ensured a high level of engagement by stroke survivors and cares in the debate on the draft strategy.
The Committee fully supports the 10 key demands arising from the consultation events. In particular, the Committee notes the estimate that about 30% of stroke survivors will suffer from clinical depression and believes that the provision of psychological and emotional support for all stroke survivors is critically important. This support, however, must not be limited to inpatient treatment in a stroke unit but must be available to survivors in the longer term. The Committee also recognises that stroke survivors will continue to improve often over a period of years and rehabilitation and long-term support must be provided in the community. The vital role that the voluntary sector provides in that longer term rehabilitation must be fully recognised and resourced.
The Committee acknowledges that a key part of the strategy focuses on prevention and notes the estimate that around 40% of strokes are preventable through tackling the major risk factors of smoking, high blood pressure and obesity. The Committee fully endorses this emphasis on prevention.
The Committee supports the calls for a publicity campaign to raise stroke awareness and believes that a major culture change is required to recognise that stroke is a medical emergency. The Committee supports the statement in the consultation document that ‘health promotion activity should give equal emphasis to stroke compared to coronary heart disease’.
The availability of new clot-busting drugs or thrombolysis is acknowledged as having the potential to have a significant impact on the outcomes for acute ischaemic stroke patients and the Committee fully supports the target of April 2011 for all suitable patients to receive thrombolysis within three hours of stroke onset.
The Committee will wish to be kept informed about the action plan to implement the strategy and noted concerns of the voluntary groups about the lack of information on plans for implementation of the strategy.
Finally, the Committee commends the good working partnership that has been built between the Department and the voluntary groups in developing the strategy and notes the eagerness and commitment of Speechmatters and NICHSA in particular to be fully involved in the implementation of the strategy. The Committee urges the Department to ensure that this partnership working is harnessed to full effect. As Joe Korner of the Stroke Association told the Committee “Our experience across the UK is that it is consensus for change in the treatment of stroke that drives things forward”.
Yours sincerely