Call for community stroke care boost

Stroke care for patients declines after they leave hospital, a healthcare watchdog has warned today.

The Healthcare Commission has called for better services after its report revealed a notable decrease in care for stroke victims once they are discharged.

Eighty-seven per cent of patients rated care as good or excellent on discharge from hospitals, but that figure dropped to 66 per cent a year later.

Commenting on the report, Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, said: “The need for top-quality care doesn?t end when the patient leaves hospital.

“Stroke sufferers have told us that they need more rehabilitation and support ? both emotional and physical ? once they return home.”

One year after leaving hospital, a third of patients could only rate their level of care as fair at best. Some 54 per cent said that they did not receive support around the home when required and about half said that they received no emotional support.

Welcoming the report, Joe Korner, the director of communications for The Stroke Association, said: “The latest findings from the Healthcare Commission confirm the sorry state of services for stroke survivors after they leave hospital.

“The report demonstrates that the current strategies in place to support stroke patients once they leave hospital are failing too many stroke survivors.”

Around 130,000 people in England and Wales suffer a stroke each year and many survivors require assistance in everyday tasks afterwards.

The Healthcare Commission is planning to review stroke patient care in a year’s time to see if the quality has improved following its report.

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