Launch of All Party Group for Stroke

The first All Party Parliamentary Group for Stroke has been launched to highlight issues affecting people with stroke and to encourage more investment in stroke prevention, care and research.

About 80 people attended the group's official launch at the House of Commons. Professor Ian Philp, National Director for Older People's Services at the Department of Health, also spoke at the parliamentary reception explaining the efforts that are being made to improve stroke care.

" Stroke has been ignored too long. It is time the country as a whole woke up to this," said Jim Cunningham MP for Coventry South, who is Chair of the new All party group.

Vice-chairs of the All party group, are Andrew Lansley MP and Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank. The Secretary is Harry Barnes MP and Treasurer is Judy Mallaber MP.

" There are a lot of myths about stroke and a lot of ignorance, especially the myth about stroke only affecting older people," said Jim Cunningham MP. " It is more prevalent amongst older people, but it doesn't just affect them. It devastates the lives of 13,000 people under 55 in the UK each year who have a stroke. A thousand are aged under 30 and some are just children."

" We need to encourage more hospitals to open stroke units by April 2004 to comply with new stroke targets. If more stroke units opened, research shows that thousands more lives could be saved each year.'

The All party group also wants there to be more public awareness campaigns highlighting simple things people can do to reduce their risk of stroke, including eating healthier diets, exercising more, quitting smoking and cutting down on binge drinking. They also want to spread the most important message of all - for people to have their blood pressure checked regularly. The Stroke Association has supported the setting up of the All party group and will continue to provide practical help.

" We are delighted the All party group on stroke has been launched and look forward to working with cross party MPs and Peers to encourage better stroke care," said Jerry Doyle, Director of PR at The Stroke Association.

" Stroke should be treated as an emergency, but too often people's symptoms are not being recognised and there are delays in treatment. The lack of specialist stroke services is a real concern."

-ENDS-

For more information, please call The Stroke Association Press Office on 020 7526 0326

Notes to editor

1. Pressure is building across the board for improvements to stroke care. 124 MPs have now also signed an Early Day Motion saying that the House 'notes with concern the continuing variation across the UK in the provision of and access to specialist services; believes that more should be done to prevent stroke and to treat those affected; supports the stroke standard and targets set for stroke care in the National Service Framework for Older People; and calls on the Government to take action to ensure that everyone who has a stroke has access to diagnostic services, is treated appropriately by a specialist stroke service and is able to participate in a multi-disciplinary programme of secondary prevention and rehabilitation'.

2. A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel. When the blood supply is disrupted, parts of the brain become damaged or destroyed. Some strokes are fatal whist others can cause permanent or temporary paralysis to one side of the body and loss of the ability to speak, read or write. Recovery may be slow and will vary from person to person.

3. Stroke is one of the biggest killers and the largest cause of severe disability in the UK. Around 130,000 people in the UK suffer a first stroke each year - about 13,000 are under the age of 55 and 1,000 are under the age of 30. One person every five minutes will suffer a first stroke.

4. The Stroke Association is the only national charity solely concerned with stroke across all age groups. It funds research into prevention, treatment, better methods of rehabilitation and care and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community services. These include young stroke pilot projects, dysphasia support, family support, an information service, welfare grants, publications and leaflets.

5. The NHS have promised to implement specialised stroke services in all acute hospitals by April 2004 - a target contained in the National Service Framework for Older People standards published in 2001. In response, The Stroke Association is running a campaign titled "Time is running out", to ensure this target is met. Information is available on this website, included is a countdown to the time left for NHS to deliver their promises.

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