Minister for Health marks World Stroke Day as he announces Budget 2025 funding for stroke services
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 29 October 2024
- Last updated on: 31 October 2024
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced details of funding for the implementation of the National Stroke Strategy under Budget 2025.
Speaking as he marked World Stroke Day, the Minister gave details of funding allocations to provide additional staff for hospital Stroke Units and expansion of Early Supported Discharge (ESD) teams. These teams provide specialist rehabilitation in the person’s home and play a critical role in helping survivors of stroke return home independently, while freeing up beds in hospital stroke units.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Ireland and the leading cause of acquired neurological disability in adults in Ireland, affecting more than 6,000 people every year.
Budget 2025 funding, which has a full year cost of €5 million in 2026, builds on over €7 million secured across successive Budgets since this clinical strategy was published in 2022.
Minister Donnelly said:
"I am delighted to announce that I have secured funding in Budget 2025 to support the continued development of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) National Stroke Strategy. This builds on the funding already secured in previous budgets.
"The additional staff required including stroke consultants, psychologists and a range of health and social care professionals, will ensure every patient with a stroke has access to specialised stroke care, in order to give them the best chance of recovery.
"The chances of survival after stroke have increased dramatically over the last decade, but that does not mean that every stroke survivor enjoys a decent quality of life. That is why in addition to funding allocated to the Stroke Strategy, I am allocating €600,000 to support the Irish Heart Foundation Stroke Connect Service.
"This excellent service complements our hospital services by supporting survivors of stroke when they are discharged, helping them make lifestyle changes to self-manage their condition and giving them a better chance of leading an independent life, during a time when they are at their most vulnerable."
Notes
World Stroke Day aims to raise awareness about stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery. It also highlights the importance of recognising stroke symptoms early and acting fast to save lives and reduce the long-term impact of strokes.
The HSE National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 aims to modernise and reform stroke services 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 government is fully committed to supporting improvements and advances in stroke services and prior to Budget 2025, has allocated a total of €7.3 million to fund the HSE National Stroke Strategy since 2022.
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)
- the recruitment of 11.5 posts to support acute stroke units and endovascular thrombectomy centres. This has enabled the expansion of ESD teams in the community from 6 to 11
- funding to support a public awareness campaign to highlight the signs of stroke, which we know saves lives