Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about care and support for people who have experienced stroke. I recognise how life-changing stroke is for individuals and families and I sympathise profoundly with anyone who is affected.

Excellent stroke care saves lives and it essential that anyone recovering from stroke receives the best treatment and care possible. While there has been progress in hospital-based stroke care services, more needs to be done to improve post-hospital support, including rehabilitation and long-term community care.

The pandemic has had, and continues to have, a huge impact across society. The Stroke Association’s report, ‘Recoveries at Risk’, finds that more than two-thirds of people discharged from hospital after suffering stroke have not received enough support from health and care services during the pandemic. Many patients have reported a reduction in rehabilitation therapies and around half of stroke survivors have had therapy appointments or home care visits cancelled or postponed.

As the country begins to recover from the pandemic, it is essential that stroke care is a priority. Ministers should provide our health service, NHS staff and patients with a fully resourced rescue plan to ensure that people who have suffered stroke get the care and rehabilitation they need.

I urge the Government to set out its long-term plans to improve stroke services. This must include a commitment to strengthen the workforce to ensure there are enough specialist medicine, nursing, rehabilitation and community staff to achieve the priority ambition for stroke care set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP