Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who die unnecessarily from the effects of stroke here on an annual basis; if her attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) indicating that between 350 and 500 people die unnecessarily because services are poorly organised and largely ineffective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1391/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Between 1999 and 2004, the proportion of all deaths due to cardiovascular disease has decreased from 42% to 37%. Within the cardiovascular group, the proportion of deaths due to coronary heart disease and stroke declined from 22% (7,059 deaths) and 9% (2,807 deaths) in 1999 to 19% (5,417 deaths) and 7% (2,085 deaths) in 2004 respectively.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has indicated that there are now acute stroke units in six hospitals, namely the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, St James's Hospital, Dublin; South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel; Our Lady's Hospital, Navan; Sligo General Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital, Galway. A further two hospitals, St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny and Connolly Hospital, Dublin are building or refurbishing stroke units. The HSE is evaluating its current stroke services and has identified a number of hospitals where stroke services could be further developed.

The National Audit of Stroke Care was published in April 2008 by the Irish Heart Foundation, with the support of my Department. In September 2007, I established a Cardiovascular Health Policy Group to advise on how to prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and stroke and improve services for individuals affected by these conditions. The Policy Group has, in the course of its work, considered the findings of the Audit and is addressing the issues, including prevention in the primary care setting, rapid access to diagnostic services, the configuration of stroke services, including stroke units, the provision of thrombolysis as well as models of rehabilitation and discharge planning. The group is expected to report shortly.