Plea from The Stroke Association: Help us to Help Us

The Stroke Association, in conjunction with the College of Health, will be sending out nearly 6,000 surveys throughout England and Wales to people affected by stroke in the last two years.

The Stroke Association is appealing to them to assist in gathering important information, regarding their experience of services they received after their stroke.

"There are over 130,000 people in the UK who suffer from their first stroke each year, but we have very little information about the care they receive" says Eoin Redahan of The Stroke Association.

"Stroke units have been shown to considerably reduce death and disability, but few are treated in them. Furthermore we need to find out what support stroke patients are receiving in their recovery and rehabilitation".

"We hope that many will participate in this survey. We know improvements still need to be made, in order to make sure that there is satisfactory support for all stroke patients in their recovery and this information will help us in our discussions with the Department of Health".

If you have had a stroke in the last two years or are a carer of a person who has had a stroke in the last two years, and would like to obtain a copy of the questionnaire, please telephone Barbra Allanson-Kelly at the College of Health on 020 8880 7703. All your responses will be treated in strictest confidence.

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For more information, please call the Press Office on 020 7566 0317/0328. Please note that we have ISDN.

Notes to editor

1. 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 can vary from person to person.
2.
2.1 Stroke is one of the biggest killers and the largest cause of 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.

2.2 The Stroke Association is the largest national charity solely concerned with combating stroke. It funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community services. These include visiting services, dysphasia support, family support, information centres, welfare grants, publications and leaflets.

2.3 The College of Health is a national charity set up in 1983 to represent the interests of patients.

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