More than 30,000 required home care after a stroke

Healthcare News
10/11/2005
More than 30,000 patients in England discharged from hospital after suffering strokes last year required home care.

More than 30,000 patients in England discharged from hospital after suffering strokes last year required home care.

A GMB Health Workers' Conference in Blackpool was told that those that live alone, particularly the elderly are dependent upon home care services from the NHS and Local Authority Social Service departments.

The conference said these 30,548 stroke patients were just the tip of the iceberg of the numbers of people requiring home care after hospital treatment.

Patients in the north-west were most likely to live at home after a stroke with 4,782 patients returning to their place of residence following treatment.

The conference, which saw 80 delegates from around the UK discuss home care issues, called for much better planning, liaison and co-operation between the NHS and social services to ensure there is adequate resources to care for patients at home.

Sharon Holder, GMB national officer for NHS, told the conference: "The figures released by the GMB today show just one small group of people who need care after they have left hospital.

"There are many thousands of others recovering from long illnesses, particularly those who are elderly. There needs to be adequate resources and proper planning in order to help these vulnerable people who have returned home after long spells in hospital.

"The government has lived up to its promise to invest in the NHS but the money must be matched to the areas of need. This is one of those areas. The government needs to ensure that there is joined up thinking between hospitals, Primary Care Trusts and social services."