Wales 'trailing rest of the UK' on stroke care

WALES ranks 21st out of 26 high-income countries for stroke outcomes, lagging significantly behind the rest of the UK, a surgeon-turned-Senedd member has warned.

- ELLA GROVES ICNN Senedd reporter

Altaf Hussain blamed the poor performance on the Welsh Government's failure to run a national "Act FAST" awareness-raising campaign in recent years.

The Conservative, who chairs the Senedd's cross-party group on stroke, relayed the story of Fran, a survivor who did not recognise the signs she was experiencing a stroke.

Dr Hussain said: "Fran told us that had she recognised the signs and symptoms of stroke, she would have sought help sooner, got treatment sooner and recovered sooner.

"As it stands, Fran and so many people like her receive treatment too late and are left with lifelong disabilities. This is why the Act FAST/Cam NESA campaigns are so vital."

Dr Hussain, a retired consultant orthopaedic surgeon, criticised a "lack of will" from Public Health Wales to implement campaigns which have proved successful over the border.