Ireland is facing a “tsunami” of stroke cases in the next 10 years after research warned that the stroke rate will soar to almost 12,000 new incidences a year.
According to the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE), this represents a 58 per cent increase.
The results have prompted a demand by the Irish Heart Foundation for urgent investment in stroke services.
The increase, predicted to be among the highest in Europe, will see the cost of stroke rise by nearly 40 per cent over the almost €500 million the research estimates is already spent annually in Ireland to treat the disease.
Approximately 7,500 people in Ireland are currently hospitalised due to stroke each year, according to the HSE’s National Stroke Programme.
Ireland spends less than 1 per cent of its total health budget on stroke, around half the European average and a quarter of the sum spent by other countries, the pre-Covid study also reveals.
Chris Macey, head of advocacy at the Irish Heart Foundation, said: “These findings demonstrate yet again how low stroke is on our list of health priorities, despite being Ireland’s third largest killer disease and the biggest cause of acquired disability.
“This research, conducted by the University of Oxford for SAFE, shows the tsunami of new strokes we are facing in Ireland is due mainly to our ageing population.
“It is a wake-up call to health service planners that a failure to invest now to futureproof already chronically underfunded services will not just overwhelm our stroke units, but will also create a major and inevitable spill over that will impinge on other services at acute hospitals.
“Tackling this decisively now will not just save lives and promote recovery on a large scale among stroke sufferers, it will significantly reduce the overall cost of the disease for a health service that is on its knees due to the pandemic.”
Among the 32 nations surveyed, Ireland is one of the most reliant on care provided by family and friends.
Our stroke support group members joined the movement today for #WorldStrokeDay #1in4 @WorldStrokeOrg #JoinTheMovement pic.twitter.com/P38PpL1ce7
— Irish Heart Foundation (@Irishheart_ie) October 29, 2020
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An estimated 4.5 million hours of care is delivered in Ireland annually, translating to an average of 1,300 hours per stroke survivor.
Mr Macey said that Ireland’s soon-to-be-published first ever national stroke strategy must come with funding to provide adequate levels of medical, nursing and therapy expertise, along with resourcing of lifesaving treatments.
“The vast majority of stroke units do not have the staffing and physical resources to meet minimum international standards and therefore to maximise their lifesaving potential,” he added.
Research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) shows that the State spends up to 60 times more on nursing home accommodation for stroke survivors than on community rehabilitation programmes that could enable many to continue living at home.
“The University of Oxford research estimates that community rehabilitation has a bigger impact on patient recovery at less expense than in hospital rehabilitation services,” he added.
“By investing in treatment, rehabilitation and community-based recovery services, we can reduce the need for nursing home care and thereby, overall stroke costs.
“It is crucial that the new strategy ensures that every stroke patient returning home is entitled to a needs assessment, a discharge plan, a referral to a community rehabilitation service and access to ongoing social support in their community.”
