Campaigns

Stroke Awareness Week 2009
On Monday 21 September, The Stroke Association NI hosted another Blood Pressure and BMI Check Event at the NI Assembly in Stormont, Belfast. 

Over 200 NI Assembly staff and MLA’s had their blood pressure checked and over 170 also had their BMI readings taken. The event helped to raise awareness that high blood pressure is a big risk factor for stroke. 

As well as the Blood Pressure and BMI Check Event, the Stroke Clinician Scientist Award was also launched at the Long Gallery in Stormont on Monday 21 September. Guests included stroke consultations and members of the Health Committee.

This event signified the start of an exciting research project, which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The study will be led by Dr David Wilson MD MRCP (UK) and will aim to generate more information about stroke, stroke medicine and to improve current services and treatment for people who have survived stroke. 

Physiotherapy Campaign 2010
In January 2010 The Stroke Association Northern Ireland and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists NI are launching a physiotherapy and stroke campaign.

The aim of this campaign is to show the benefits of physiotherapy for stroke survivors after they have left hospital. We hope that this will result in a better quality and quantity of services available throughout Northern Ireland.

In preparation for this campaign we wish to gather new evidence about the availability of physiotherapy after hospital treatment through a survey of stroke survivor’s experiences.

If you would be interested in taking part in the physiotherapy survey, you can find out more here. 

Stroke Awareness Day 2009
Stroke Awareness Day 2009 took place on Tuesday 12 May. 

The Stroke Association NI ran a number of events during this campaign to help raise awareness of stroke in Northern Ireland.

Events included blood pressure check events at the NI Assembly, Stormont and in Newcastle. Over 250 blood pressures were taken, including many MLA’s. 

The Bangor Art Exhibition was also launched to showcase artwork and poems produced by stroke survivors, living with aphasia. 

FAST Campaign 2009
The 2009 FAST campaign was launched on Monday 23 February and consisted of Translink bus advertising and a media campaign. 

The official launch for the campaign took place outside the Emergency Department of the Ulster Hospital on Thursday 5 March and was attended by John Compton, CEO of the SEHSCT, Colm McKenna, Chairman of the SEHSCT, Tom Richardson, David McManus, Medical Director of the NI Ambulance Service, Charlie Graham, Medical Director of the A&E Department and stroke survivor John McMullan.

The official launch helped to raise the profile of FAST in the media and encourage the general public to dial 999 if they suspect someone is having a stroke.

For more information on campaigns in Northern Ireland, please contact the Communications Team on
028 9050 8051 or visit The Stroke Association NI website.

Northern Ireland Stroke Strategy

2008
In November 2007 , the Department of Health Social Services & Public Safety (DHSSPS) published the 'Improving Stroke Services in Northern Ireland' Consultation document.

300 stroke survivors, their carers and families meaningfully consulted on this document and their views were incorporated into the final recommendations

2009
A year on and The Stroke Association Northern Ireland hosted another round of consultation events so that stroke survivors, their carers and families could voice their opinions and views on the work that has been completed on stroke so far and what and is planned for stroke in the future. 

Five service user events took place in Armagh, Derry, Ballymena, Belfast and Omagh to gather these views. Over 500 stroke survivors, carers and family members attended to voice their comments.

A high level seminar then took place at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast so that health professionals, the DHSSPS and members of the Regional Stroke Strategy Implementation Group could hear these views and comments. 

Getter Better Report 2009
The Stroke Association Northern Ireland launched its "Getting Better: Improving stroke services across the UK" report on Monday 9 March 2009 to highlight the great work that is being achieved across the UK in stroke services.

This report brings together twelve case studies of stroke services from across the UK covering the whole of the stroke care pathway. It highlights and celebrates examples of good practice in stroke care and shows what can be achieved.

The case studies include prevention, managing TIAs, establishing a stroke unit, offering thrombolysis, early supported discharge and long term support. Northern Ireland has contributed to this report through the Early Supported Discharge case study. 

Each case study shows that improving stroke services can reduce mortality and disability, and for some people treatment with thrombolysis can lead to dramatic improvements.

Getting Better report (1541 kb) [pdf]

For more information on the campaign please contact the Communications Team on 028 9050 8051.