§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions have taken place with concerned parties regarding funding of stroke clinics in the UK. [24894]
§ Jacqui SmithThe funding of stroke clinics is a matter for local discussion as set out in the recently published priorities and planning framework 2002–03. One of the priorities is to continue to implement on agreed time scales the National Service Framework for Older People.
The NSF for Older People sets a milestone of April 2002 for every general hospital which cares for people with stroke to have plans to introduce a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model from 2004. The development for these plans will incorporate local service configuration, integration and any relevant aspects of local funding requirements/priorities.