Five years on from the New Decade New Approach deal, a leading charity has warned that “more urgency is needed to make stroke a priority”.
The Stroke Association says targets set to “reconfigure hospital provision” as well as plans to “make improvements” when the agreement was reached in 2020 have been “missed”.
Alasdair O’Hara, Northern Ireland director of the charity, said five years on from the deal, Stormont’s political parties “must come together to prioritise and deliver the much-needed transformation of stroke services”.
The New Decade, New Approach agreement, which was published by the British and Irish governments on January 9 2020, set out a plan of action for a new Executive.
It included a list of priorities and specific commitments from the two governments.
Mr O’Hara said five years ago change was anticipated as Julian Smith and Simon Coveney announced the New Decade New Approach agreement.
“As a result, a new Northern Ireland Executive was to be formed pledging to transform our health service,” he said.
“For many who feel stroke hadn’t been a political priority, there was much to welcome in the agreement which committed to reconfigure hospital provision to deliver better patient outcomes and make improvements in stroke by the end of 2020.
“This target was missed, but the minister has set out a new approach with a model to be identified by this summer.
“Once a suitable model is identified, Stormont’s political parties must come together to prioritise and deliver the much-needed transformation of stroke services.
“This must include 24/7 access to thrombectomy, a game-changing treatment for stroke that saves brains, money, and – most importantly - lives.”
Mr O’Hara added that “stroke services are spread too thinly”.
“Northern Ireland needs a planned and fully funded transformation of our stroke services and an adequately resourced long-term plan for recruiting and retaining a stroke workforce,” he said.
“There is a wealth of evidence that demonstrates how transforming the way we deliver acute stroke services can save lives, reduce the long-term impacts experienced by patients and save money for the health service.
“It is crucial that the stroke community aren’t let down again this time.”
