Stroke rehab is vital

It is not always easy, or rewarding, to review health education programmes.

However, the campaign that ran for a year from 2010 meant that 59% of stroke patients got to a hospital in the golden-opportunity three-and-half hours after suffering an attack thereby maximising recovery opportunities.

Naturally, the National Stroke Programme has called for a rerun and it is hard to disagree, it would be money well spent and improve the situation faced by vulnerable people.

That programme is, nevertheless, just one side of the coin.

Much more is needed, especially beds and an extended, around-the-clock service.

Services are to be extended at CUH so progress is being made.

Speaking to yesterday’s Munster Stroke Network annual study day, Professor Áine Carroll some rehabilitation services are inadequate.

“I feel once they leave hospital, they are falling off a cliff,” she said.

Surely, we can do better, especially as the evidence from the 2011 programme is so positive.

Once again, it’s a case of a lot done but much more to do.