Warning that Europe is failing to provide adequate stroke care and support  – the scale of stroke care crisis is laid bare for first time by new data release

May 8, 2023

New data released today from the Stroke Action Plan for Europe Services Stroke Tracker, reveals the gross inequity of access to care and support for stroke patients and stroke survivors across Europe.

 The Stroke Action Plan for Europe was launched in 2018, to provide a framework for European governments to improve stroke care and support for all citizens in Europe. As part of this Plan, and for the first time, data from across 36 countries across Europe, covering 12 key areas of improvement, has been collected and is available here [link to the website]. In summary the data shows:

• There is inequity in access to stroke care in Europe and insufficient access to care also in many high-income countries. This is the case for acute care, and to an even larger degree for rehabilitation and life after stroke support.
• National and/or regional data are crucial in planning, organising and documenting access to care; however, such data are lacking or incomplete in the majority of European countries. Most European countries do not have a National Stroke Plan or National/regional registries to monitor stroke care.
• The burden of stroke is predicted to increase but despite this, most countries do not have a plan for primordial or primary prevention.

Professor Hanne Karup Christensen, Stroke Action Plan for Europe steering committee chair: To reduce the burden of stroke in the years to come with its grave effects on individuals as well as societies, governments must prioritise implementing an adequate organization which include plans for primary and primordial prevention, National stroke plans and national/regional registries to monitor quality, outcomes and access to stroke care.

Arlene Wilkie, Director General, Stroke Alliance Eruope: This data released today shows a woeful lack of equitable access to stroke care and support across Europe. This is not good enough. Our governments must do more to prevent stroke, and when they do occur, ensure that every citizen has access to physical and emotional care and support in hospital as well as the ongoing long term support that each stroke survivor and carer needs when they go home. Urgent action is needed by each country to implement and fund a national stroke plan that covers everything from prevention, to acute care, rehabilitation and long term support.

All information can be found here

We are hiring!

Apr 11, 2023

We are looking for a new European communications and engagement manager..

This person must be creative, passionate and productive with experience in health communication, using all the main channels of communication. and digital asset creation. This person must have excellent written and spoken English.  

This role will help us build a strong community with our members and will also help us deliver our flagship projects including the European Life After Stroke Forum, the Stroke Action Plan for Europe and our EU research projects.

Read more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3nIN6Lm

A life saved is a life worth living report launched at the European Life After Stroke Forum

Mar 13, 2023

We launched a research report at the European Life After Stroke Forum (Friday 10 March) that reveals the long-term support to meet the needs of stroke survivors in Europe is severely lacking.

A life saved is a life worth living – the unmet needs of stroke survivors in Europe, is a comprehensive review and analysis of all the research on the needs and unmet needs of stroke survivors.

‘A life worth saving must also be worth living but our report shows that even basic things like access to ongoing rehabilitation or mental health support is a constant struggle for people who have had a stroke. All too often service provision and support stop a few weeks after someone has a stroke, but their needs persist.’ Arlene Wilkie, Director General, Stroke Alliance for Europe

Kings College London, who carried out the review, found over 80 distinct issues, where stroke survivors have said that their needs are not being met: from the need for ongoing physiotherapy to promote mobility; or psychological support to help prevent depression. The report also covered the need for better inclusion in social and community life and highlighted the often overlooked needs of informal carers.

‘In my long-term, still ongoing, recovery I have a strong need for continued physiotherapy and occupational therapy. It goes without saying, that for this to happen there is a need for financial resources.’ Jurg, stroke survivor, Switzerland

Read the summary report

European Life After Stroke Forum

Essentials of Stroke Care guide now available for patients, stroke survivors and their families

Feb 28, 2023

The Essentials of Stroke Care was created to be a guide for stroke health professionals and planners. This latest version is for the general public and lays out what care and support every stroke survivor should receive.

This guide provides stroke survivors, their relatives, carers, and advocates with a checklist against which they can assess the quality of their care.

It includes the latest information and resources to help those affected by stroke.

Download a copy at actionplan.eso-stroke.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SAP-E_Lay-Version_Essentials-of-Stroke-Care.pdf