Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland has called for action as figures published by the Stroke Association show over half (52%) of stroke survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber feel abandoned when they leave hospital.

The charity surveyed over 1,100 stroke survivors living in England about their experience of stroke care and support. The findings also reveal that:

• A third (32%) of stroke survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber reported that they left hospital without a care plan, returning home without appropriate support in place for their recovery.
• More than half (53%) of stroke survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber said they were not contacted by a healthcare professional when they returned home from hospital.
• A third (32%) of stroke survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber stated that they did not receive a vital six-month assessment of their health and social care needs. These assessments monitor how well stroke survivors are recovering and identify additional, tailored support that may be needed to prevent unnecessary readmissions to hospital and care homes.

The survey also found that stroke survivors do not have access to the therapy and support they need to cope with the physical, mental and emotional impact of stroke:

• One fifth (18%) of all survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber with a physical disability surveyed rated the amount of therapy of they received at home for physical disabilities as either very poor or poor.
• Half (50%) of all survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber with memory problems said access to support for this was very poor or poor.
• More than a third (36%) of all survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber who experienced depression or low mood following their stroke said the support they received for this was very poor or poor.

The charity is launching a major new campaign, A New Era for Stroke, which calls on the Government to commit to a new stroke strategy. The current 10 year National Stroke Strategy for England ends in 2017, and the charity is warning that stroke survivors’ recovery will continue to be put at serious risk unless the Government commits to a new strategy.

Jon Barrick, chief executive at the Stroke Association, said:

“These findings are deeply concerning. Currently, too many stroke survivors feel abandoned when they return home as they are not given the right support to begin their rehabilitation. Major strides have been made in the way stroke is treated in hospital; however the same is not true when stroke survivors return home. No one plans for a stroke, but the Government can, and should, ensure that the right care and support is there when people need it most.”

“Stroke survivors have told us that they have had to wait weeks – and in some cases months – for the support and therapy they need to rebuild their lives. For too many people, their support comes too late, it stops too soon, or they don’t have access to all types of therapy they need. We successfully campaigned for the first strategy ten years ago which has led to dramatic improvements in the way stroke is treated in hospital. However this has not carried through to the support that people need once they return home. The Government has said they don’t have plans to renew the stroke strategy, yet almost half (48%) of stroke survivors in Yorkshire and the Humber have said a national plan is needed. That’s why we’re urging people to sign our petition calling on the Government to bring in a new era for stroke.”

The National Stroke Strategy for England was introduced to improve standards in treatment and support for people affected by stroke. As part of its campaign, the Stroke Association is launching a public petition, calling on the Government to commit to a new stroke strategy.

Commenting, Greg Mulholland said:

“While the National Stroke Strategy for England has led to many improvements, there does not appear to have been much progress made in meeting the needs of stroke patients and their families once they leave hospital. We need to develop specialist stroke services that ensure adequate care for patients, especially when over half of stroke survivors in Yorkshire say they end up feeling abandoned. We must help stroke survivors regain their independence and resume an active life, and that’s why I’m backing the Stroke Association’s petition for a new stroke strategy so survivors continue to receive the best possible care after their discharge from hospital.”