Stroke Patients Neglected Says NICHS

The stroke strategy has highlighted the need to ensure that stroke clients are provided with early supported discharge. Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, said “If the Health Service cannot provide a suitable chair for a person with a disability this is not a very high level of performance in terms of support in the community.xa0 In recent days one centre when approached by a distressed relative, responded that it would take a further eight weeks for a chair to be provided.xa0 This means that the patient will be out of hospital for eleven weeks before he receives a chair which means that he may be bedridden for most of time. “”NICHS is requesting that the Health & Social Care Board sets down stringent targets for the provision of suitable seating equipment for stroke clients and that tight time targets are also set in place for the completion of housing adaptations to ensure an adequate quality of life. “Stroke is a devastating illness which affects not only the individual but the whole family.xa0 It is important that when the client is discharged from hospital every support is put in place in an efficient manner.xa0 My colleagues and I in Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke pledge to work alongside the Health Service in ensuring the efficient delivery of high quality services to the patient in the community.xa0 Delays in such efficient delivery will have an extremely negative effect on the stroke clients”, added Mr Dougal.]]>