The Stroke Association response to NHS White Paper 'Choosing Health' as published today

It is vital that the public is given greater choice and access to information and initiatives to enable them to make informed decisions on healthy lifestyles that could help reduce their risk of stroke and associated conditions. It is estimated that about 40% of strokes could be prevented by regular blood pressure checks, treatment for hypertension and taking steps to improve overall health . The Stroke Association therefore welcomes any initiatives that would empower the public to make constructive changes to their lifestyles.

Whilst today's White Paper addresses such issues, there are also a number of key points that the government also needs to introduce. These are detailed below, and were submitted as evidence by The Stroke Association as part of the public consultation process for this paper.

· Smoking. There must be a complete ban of smoking in all public spaces- the only way to effectively reduce the health risks associated with smoking.
· Food Advertising. Restrictions in junk food advertising should be mandatory rather than voluntary. There should also be frameworks in place to facilitate the mandatory regulation of so-called 'lite' or 'full of goodness' products, and to prevent the promotion of junk and other unhealthy foods through other means aside from television advertising such as sponsorship.
· Labelling. Regulations should be in place to ensure consistent and clear labelling of food products. They should also include information on 'hidden' ingredients such as salt and sugar. The Stroke Association has recently successfully worked with the Food Standards Agency to raise awareness of health risks associated with excessive salt intake. We would welcome the opportunity to build on this partnership to help achieve this goal.
· Lifestyle. Whilst the introduction of Health Direct is a step forward in providing advice and information on lifestyle, the government must ensure that all communities are reached by addressing the practical issues and misconceptions concerning healthy lifestyles. Many people may feel unable to make changes to their diet or undertake exercise regimes for reasons of cost, time or lifestyle. Perhaps they feel they do not have the time to prepare freshly made meals or find it difficult to go to local sports facilities for reasons of accessibility or cost. Practical advice and information needs to be in place to address these matters. This particularly is the case for those who have been especially difficult to reach in the past, such as those from low socio-economic backgrounds, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. The Stroke Association welcomes the breadth of initiatives that the government has outlined to facilitate this, and look forward to their effective implementation to help those who would most benefit from such help, advice and support and tackle the health inequalities that currently exist.

However, there are many other barriers to exercise and healthy living that are environmental and go beyond the scope of the Department of Health and the National Health Service. This includes greater accessibility and the creation of more open spaces, improved cycleway access and improved transport from cities to rural areas.

The government needs to work in partnership with other organisations to ensure that these positive changes to public health are implemented effectively and target those who would most benefit from such measures. This should involve national and local government, GP surgeries, Primary Care Trusts and community and patient groups.

The Stroke Association looks forward to continuing working in partnership with the Department of Health to help achieve this goal.

---ENDS---
For media enquiries, please contact a member of the Media Team on 020 7566 1500 or e-mail press@stroke.org.uk

Notes to editor

1. The Stroke Association supports a complete ban on smoking in public places as part of the Smoking Control Network and believes that junk food advertising restrictions should be mandatory as a signatory to Sustain's campaign.

2. Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a stroke. Of all people who suffer from a stroke, about a third are likely to die within the first 10 days, about a third are likely to make a recovery within one month and about a third are likely to be left disabled and needing rehabilitation. Stroke has a greater disability impact than any other medical condition. A quarter of a million people are living with long-term disability as a result of stroke in the UK.

3. The Stroke Association is the only national charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. 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 dysphasia support, family support, information services, welfare grants, publications and leaflets. We also campaign, educate and inform to increase knowledge of stroke at all levels of society and we act as a voice for everyone affected by stroke.

4. 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.

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