A view from Mark Isherwood – Welsh Conservative North Wales Member of the Senedd
Wrexham.com has invited the four North Wales Members of the Senedd to write a monthly column with updates on their work. You can find their updates – along with contributions from the Wrexham and Clwyd South MPs and MSs – here.
In his monthly column for Wrexham.com, Welsh Conservative MS Mark Isherwood writes:
Stroke is the fifth single leading cause of death in Wales and the single largest cause of complex disability. A delay in getting treatment for stroke kills brain cells and can sadly prove to be fatal.
Last month in the Senedd I backed a motion calling for a biennial Act FAST campaign in Wales to ensure that everyone knows to call 999 at the first sign of a stroke.
Supporting the motion, I said:
“By coincidence, I actually led a Debate here almost exactly a year ago on Stroke Services, when I stated: ‘The Stroke Association has also called for a renewed FAST campaign – Face, Arms, Speech, Time – by Public Health Wales, to improve awareness of stroke symptoms and urge those experiencing these to call 999 as soon as possible’, where ‘Acting FAST gives the person having a stroke the best chance of survival and recovery’, adding that ‘the FAST campaign was last run in Wales in 2018, but was run in both England and Northern Ireland in 2021’, and analysis of the campaign in England found that it was highly cost effective.”
I also referred to my June visit to Buckley Stroke Group with the Stroke Association to learn about their experience of stroke.
There are currently over 70,000 Stroke Survivors in Wales, and the number is expected to increase by 50 per cent over the next 20 years.
I was reminded of the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme Data then available showing that the time between a Stroke patient starting to experience symptoms, to when they arrive at hospital, averages four hours, eight minutes in England, six hours, five minutes in Wales, and nine hours, 23 minutes at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
Issues raised with me by Stroke Survivors included lack of joined-up care, although professionals were kind and caring; having a Stroke in England, but not being told what was available when they returned to Wales; trouble getting through to GPs; not being told what happens to you when you have a Stroke; and, when asking their GP if they can see a Stroke Specialist, being told ‘Get me a name, and I will refer you’.
Speaking in the Senedd/Welsh Parliament after my visit, I referred to the Stroke Programme Board’s planned engagement on the future of Stroke Services and asked the First Minister how he will ensure that the voices of Stroke Survivors and Carers are heard and involved in the co-production of this work.
Having joined the Cross-Party Group on Stroke meeting earlier in October which launched the campaign for the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales to commit to running a regular FAST campaign, I was very pleased to support the motion in the subsequent Senedd Short Debate.
The Act FAST campaign urges people to remember the acronym F.A.S.T. when spotting potential stroke symptoms:
- Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
- Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?
- Speech – is their speech slurred?
- Time – even if you’re not sure, call 999.
Stroke kills tens of thousands and leaves others with complex and severe disability every year. Acting FAST is the biggest thing you can do to save a life.
As Shakeel Ahmad, the National Clinical Lead for Stroke has said:
“For every minute a stroke is left untreated, up to 2 million brain cells die, so it’s important to act FAST. It can make a significant difference to someone’s chances of survival as well improve their recovery and rehabilitation.”
I urge people to call 999 as soon as they see any of the signs of stroke in themselves or someone else.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email [email protected]
