Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
288. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on implementation of the National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027; the funding provided to the strategy in each of the years since its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20009/24]
View answerThe HSE National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 aims to modernise and reform stroke services in line with Sláintecare policy and address the challenges facing Ireland from population ageing and the predicted increase in the total number of strokes right across Europe, including Ireland. The strategy provides a blueprint for required investment in stroke services over the five-year period from 2022-2027.
The government is fully committed to supporting improvements and advances in stroke services and has allocated a total of €7.3m to fund the HSE National Stroke Strategy over the last two Budgets which comprises of:
• 2024 Existing Levels of Service (ELS) recurring funding of €3.7m which was allocated for the extension of the GP contract to include primary care-delivered case finding and treatment strategy for Hypertension in over 45-year-olds.
• This was in addition to the €3.6m recurring funding that was allocated in new service developments (NSD) in 2023.
• Separately, in 2023, funding was allocated from existing HSE pay budgets for the recruitment of 24.9 to further the implementation of the strategy. To date 12 WTE’s have been recruited.
The funding allocated to the National Stroke Strategy to date has enabled significant new developments such as:
• the expansion of the GP contract to include opportunistic screening of hypertension (a significant risk factor for stroke). This contract is in place and GPs commenced the service in Q1 2024. The HSE estimate that the appropriate management of hypertension through the opportunistic screening of patients in the GP Chronic Disease Management Programme could save up to €33m.
• the recruitment of 12 posts to support acute stroke units, endovascular thrombectomy centres and has enabled the expansion of ESD teams in the community from 6 to 11 teams (target is 21 ESD teams nationally). The stroke strategy estimates that with the full roll out of 21 ESD teams there will be an estimated >4500 bed days returned to the hospital system and estimated savings of €3.8m.
• funding also contributed towards funding a stroke research fellowship post and a public awareness campaign to highlight the signs of stroke which we know saves lives and I understand this is on target to launch in Q4 of 2024.
I remain fully committed to making further progress on implementing the stroke strategy and will continue to work with the HSE to ensure its successful implementation to further reduce mortality from stroke, as well as supporting survivors of stroke to live as independently as possible in their communities.
