Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that the Minister is committed to improving the services for stroke victims. Given our improved economic situation, the faster that can be rolled out the better, particularly for younger people who have a better chance of making a fuller recovery. I would also suggest that more targeting is required in this area because some people will need more support at home than others. For example, people who live on their own would need more support than those who live in family situations.

There is also a requirement for additional funding to provide psychiatric help for stroke victims because the impact of stroke is not just physical; it can have a major impact on people's state of mind too. At the moment, one third of stroke survivors have no access to physiotherapy, half cannot get any speech and language or occupational therapy and only one in ten get psychological help. More than one in three stroke survivors have to pay for their own rehabilitation and 60% of them are financially worse off after their stroke. Less than half of those of working age return to work after suffering a stroke and most of these people either leave soon after or take on a reduced role. In that context, any improvements in the services provided to stroke victims would have a positive impact. Given that around 40% of stroke sufferers have reported that their close relationships were damaged in the aftermath of stroke, improvements in services will not only have hugely beneficial effects for the individuals themselves but also for those with whom they associate.

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