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Committee urges stroke shake-up to combat poor service

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19 April 2010

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The NHS in Wales should appoint stroke “champions” to improve treatment standards, a group of politicians has said.

A report by the cross-party Health Committee urged a radical shake-up of the service, saying it lagged behind the rest of the UK.

The group made 25 recommendations to the Assembly, including the drafting of a care and treatment strategy, the imposition of targets and deadlines and the creation of a formal monitoring system.

While executive and clinical champions have already been appointed, the committee said the leadership structure needed to be clearer.

The group also expressed concern over funding levels, claiming they did not match those of other regions, and called for an immediate review.

An estimated 10,000 to 11,000 people suffer a stroke in Wales every year, a third of whom die and a further third are left permanently disabled.

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