Sir, Strokes are the UK’s third biggest killer and a leading cause of adult disability, with around 900,000 people, of all ages, living with the effects. They are also one of the most expensive diseases in the country, costing the nation around £7 billion every year. Yet strokes remain a hugely under-resourced area both in terms of health and social care. The quality and quantity of services vary widely depending on where you live.

A public consultation on the Government’s first ever national stroke strategy has just closed. It is the most important document on stroke care in England for a generation, setting out a blueprint for the next 10 to 15 years.

On Tuesday a group of stroke survivors representing thousands from across the country met at the Houses of Parliament and agreed five key demands that the stroke strategy must deliver.

They are: strokes must be treated as a medical emergency at all times; stroke patients must be taken immediately to, and spend the majority of their time in, a stroke unit; stroke survivors must receive a smooth transition from hospital to home; stroke survivors must receive all the rehabilitation and long-term support that meet their specific needs; transient ischemic attacks (mini strokes) must be treated with the same seriousness as strokes.

Now that the discussions and consultations are over, it is time for action. The Government cannot afford to waste this opportunity.

Peter Hollins
CEO, British Heart Foundation

Julia Scott
College of Occupational Therapists

Kamini Gadhok
Chief Executive, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Phil Gray
Chief Executive, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Jon Barrick
CEO, The Stroke Association

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