<p>
	More people are surviving strokes but 75% of the country&rsquo;s rehabilitation hospitals can not provide patients with recommended levels of therapy.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Just one in four rehabilitation hospitals have a dedicated stroke unit, 60% do not have a stroke specialist to oversee rehabilitation, and less than one in three rehabilitation hospitals have access to psychological services.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The vast majority of the country&rsquo;s 26 rehabilitation hospitals do not have links with community rehabilitation services meaning patients cannot receive rehabilitation therapy after they leave hospital.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	This latest HSE and Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) audit &mdash; the first study of post-acute stroke care in Ireland &mdash; follows another report on acute stroke services earlier this year which also showed major medical, nursing and therapy staff deficits in spite of a 25% reduction in stroke deaths in seven years.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	IHF head of advocacy Chris Macey said the audit confirmed that rehabilitation services for stroke patients &ldquo;are grossly inadequate at every stage in the patient&rsquo;s treatment whether in acute hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, or in the community&rdquo;.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Whilst more people than ever are surviving stroke, they are being denied the opportunity to make the best recovery possible by a chronic dearth of vital therapy services,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The HSE&rsquo;s national clinical lead for stroke, Joe Harbison, warned that stroke figures are increasing.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;The incidence of stroke in Ireland is rising by about 350 extra cases every year, but we still have a severe shortage of stroke unit beds or the specialist nursing, therapy and medical staff we need to care for these stroke patients,&rdquo; said Prof Harbison.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;We have only about half the acute stroke unit beds we need to meet international standards, and this audit shows an even lower proportion of specialist rehabilitation beds.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	According to the previous study by the HSE and IHF, staff shortages range from 40% to 80% in acute hospitals. The number of health professionals providing therapies to stroke victims is a third less than in the UK. Elsewhere in Western Europe, supported discharge teams are a basic element of treatment. There are only three such teams in this country and they are under resourced.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Prof Harbison said &ldquo;stroke outcomes, apart from mortality, deteriorated last year for the first time since the creation of the national stroke programme&rdquo;.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;This is not unexpected in view of the current level of fixed and insufficient resources and an increasing number of patients,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Despite a recent increase in working-age strokes, only 27% of hospitals provide assistance to patients in returning to work, while just half provide training in managing the consequences of stroke following discharge.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Stroke research fellow at the national clinical programme for stroke, Paul McElwaine, said: &ldquo;It makes no sense at all that we have significant investment of expertise and resources to save patients&rsquo; lives after a stroke, but then fail to follow through with basic therapy services that will help them recover?&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Examiner on the 27th October 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/no-stroke-aftercare-available-to-victims-427686.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/no-stroke-aftercare-available-to-victims-427686.html</a></p>
