Stroke Association statement on the SSNAP Post-acute service commissioning audit report

Jon Barrick, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association said:

The Post-acute service commissioning audit gives us a useful picture of what services are available to stroke survivors in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Stroke causes a greater range of severe disabilities than any other condition. The effects can be both mental and physical and they can change over time but most survivors live with the consequences for the rest of their lives. It is vital that survivors are supported at every stage of their recovery and life after stroke. We hope that commissioners in both health and social care will use the information in this audit to identify where improvements can be made.

The great variation in the number and type of services available to stroke survivors and their families urgently needs to be addressed.  We fully support the key recommendations in the report, many of which reflect areas that we have campaigned on recently; better vocational training for stroke survivors, access to services in care homes, greater access to psychological support and the need for six month reviews.

More people are surviving strokes than ever before but the burden of disability, illness and premature deaths caused by stroke is set to double worldwide by 2030. We need to have resources and services in place to meet the growing need for long-term support and care.