§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that the stroke standard published within the National Service Framework for Older People is implemented across different health and social care settings; [18916]
(2) what action he plans to take to address the variation in the death rate from stroke in hospitals in England. [18915]
§ Jacqui SmithThe stroke standard in the National Service Framework for Older People (NSF) provides a detailed service model and specific milestones for the local development of specialised stroke services throughout England. The achievement of milestones will be monitored and will ensure improvements in access to, and delivery of stroke care and as a consequence help to reduce variation in death rate across England. The NSF milestones are:
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- By April 2002 every general hospital which cares for people with stroke will have plans to introduce a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model from 2004.
- By April 2003 every hospital which cares for older people with stroke will have established clinical audit systems to ensure delivery of the Royal College of Physicians clinical guidelines for stroke care.
- By April 2004 primary care groups/trusts will have ensured that:
- every general practice, using protocols agreed with local specialist services, can identify and treat patients identified as being at risk of a stroke because of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or other risk factors
- every general practice is using a protocol agreed with local specialist services for the rapid referral and management of those with transient ischaemic attack
- every general practice can identify people who have had a stroke and are treating them according to protocols agreed with local specialist services
- every general practice has established clinical audit systems for stroke.
- By April 2004, 100 per cent. of all general hospitals which care for people with stroke to have a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model.