§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of stroke patients are being treated in specialist stroke units; [139784]
(2) what percentage of stroke patients he plans will be treated in specialist stroke units by April 2004. [139785]
§ Dr. LadymanWe do not collect the information requested centrally. However, stroke is one of the condition specific standards (Standard 5) incorporated into the national service framework for older people. The target is that by April 2004, 100 per cent. of all general hospitals which care for people with stroke will have a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model, and that all people who are thought to have had a stroke will have access to diagnostic services and access to specialist stroke services as appropriate.
1143WThe most comprehensive source of information on stroke is the National Sentinel Stroke Audit, carried out by the Royal College of Physicians. The audit was commissioned by the National Health Service in 1998 and was last updated in 2002. The results can be found at http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/strokeaudit01–02.pdf. There will be a further update of these figures in 2004.