Thousands of stroke victims are dying needlessly because they do not receive proper care, a report claims. The survey by the Stroke Association found that at least five people die every day, and a further seven or more are disabled because of poorly organised health service stroke care. The association says most doctors dealing with people who have suffered strokes feel they do not know enough about the condition.
Stroke is the third biggest killer in the UK and is the main cause of severe disability.
With more than 100,000 new cases of stroke each year, this means that 7,000 people a year die or are institutionalised because of poor care and treatment. The report, called Stroke Care - A Matter of Chance, was based on questionnaires filled in by more than 2,000 hospital consultants. The government has promised equal access to NHS care no matter where an individual lives. It is now becoming urgent that they implement this promise for stroke care. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.