Response to Gordon Brown's appointment as Prime Minister

Joe Korner, Director of Communications for The Stroke Association comments:

"We would like to congratulate Gordon Brown on becoming the new Prime Minister. Mr Brown's commitment to the NHS and the health of our nation gives us real hope that the improvements in stroke services which are so desperately needed will be high on the new Prime Minister's agenda.

"Over the last 10 years services for heart disease have been transformed to a point where we can proudly claim our provision for heart disease to be amongst the best in the world. Yet stroke, the UK's third biggest killer, and biggest cause of serve disability, has been a Cinderella in terms of investment and Government support. Access to life saving stroke units is on the basis of luck and postcode and vital rehabilitation and long term services are patchy at best.

'Gordon Brown's Government, with a new stroke strategy in development, has the chance to do for stroke what has been achieved for heart disease in the last ten years. It is vital that stroke gets the priority and investment needed - without it hundreds will die needlessly."

Ends

For further information please call the media team on at The Stroke Association on 0207 566 1500 or email the Press Office.

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