§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of specialised stroke units are(a) acute care units, (b) rehabilitation stroke units and (c) both acute care and rehabilitation stroke units. [133010]
§ Dr. LadymanThe most comprehensive source of information on stroke is the national sentinel stroke audit, carried out by the Royal College of Physicians. 235 hospitals, 95 per cent. of those caring for patients after a stroke in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, took part in the third round of the audit in 2002. The audit shows that 73 per cent. of trusts who participated in the audit had a stroke unit. Of those, 46 per cent. only had rehabilitation stroke beds and three per cent. only had acute stroke beds. The remainder had both rehabilitation and acute stroke beds.