Vital boost for stroke treatment in the ACT
June 03, 2016
The Stroke Foundation has welcomed today’s announcement by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government that it will deliver a $5 million boost acute to stroke treatment in the Territory.
ACT Minister for Health Simon Corbell announced funding for four additional stroke experts at Canberra and Calvary Hospitals to facilitate improved access to clot retrieval therapy and clot busting treatment.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan applauded the ACT Government, stating additional resourcing has the potential to save lives and reduce disability.
“The addition of clot retrieval therapy to clot-dissolving treatment has been proven to significantly improve outcomes for ischemic stroke patients with large vessel blood clots,” Ms McGowan said.
“This treatment is technically challenging and needs to be performed by specially trained teams of health professionals. It is also - as with most stroke treatment - time critical, which is why having appropriately resourced stroke units is vital.
“We commend the ACT Government for its commitment to improving stroke patient outcomes in the Territory,” she said.
ACT residents will experience more than 650 strokes this year, and the majority (80 percent) would be caused by blood clots stopping blood moving through arteries in the brain – ischemic stroke.
Ms McGowan said this boost to ACT stroke units demonstrated the immense opportunities to improve stroke care across the rest of the country.
“Tragically one in six of us will experience a stroke in our lifetime and there is no guarantee that we will receive best-practice care – in fact the recent audit of stroke services shows many of us would not,’’ she said.
“All Australians need and deserve access to high quality, best-practice stroke care, no matter where they live. This funding has given this effort a boost, it is now time for all governments to work together to stop the suffering caused by stroke.
“There is significant opportunity for improvements across the country through tailored strategies which can enhance the quality of care provided, but concerted effort from all Australian governments is required to save lives and reduce stroke disability.
“Stroke is largely preventable, treatable and ultimately beatable. With targeted investment we can reduce the impact of stroke, improve the quality of care, and give survivors the support and information they desperately need.”
This federal election the Stroke Foundation is calling on all party leaders to commit to a national plan to deliver targeted stroke programs that will save lives, reduce disability and deliver savings back to the Federal Budget.
ACT Minister for Health Simon Corbell announced funding for four additional stroke experts at Canberra and Calvary Hospitals to facilitate improved access to clot retrieval therapy and clot busting treatment.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan applauded the ACT Government, stating additional resourcing has the potential to save lives and reduce disability.
“The addition of clot retrieval therapy to clot-dissolving treatment has been proven to significantly improve outcomes for ischemic stroke patients with large vessel blood clots,” Ms McGowan said.
“This treatment is technically challenging and needs to be performed by specially trained teams of health professionals. It is also - as with most stroke treatment - time critical, which is why having appropriately resourced stroke units is vital.
“We commend the ACT Government for its commitment to improving stroke patient outcomes in the Territory,” she said.
ACT residents will experience more than 650 strokes this year, and the majority (80 percent) would be caused by blood clots stopping blood moving through arteries in the brain – ischemic stroke.
Ms McGowan said this boost to ACT stroke units demonstrated the immense opportunities to improve stroke care across the rest of the country.
“Tragically one in six of us will experience a stroke in our lifetime and there is no guarantee that we will receive best-practice care – in fact the recent audit of stroke services shows many of us would not,’’ she said.
“All Australians need and deserve access to high quality, best-practice stroke care, no matter where they live. This funding has given this effort a boost, it is now time for all governments to work together to stop the suffering caused by stroke.
“There is significant opportunity for improvements across the country through tailored strategies which can enhance the quality of care provided, but concerted effort from all Australian governments is required to save lives and reduce stroke disability.
“Stroke is largely preventable, treatable and ultimately beatable. With targeted investment we can reduce the impact of stroke, improve the quality of care, and give survivors the support and information they desperately need.”
This federal election the Stroke Foundation is calling on all party leaders to commit to a national plan to deliver targeted stroke programs that will save lives, reduce disability and deliver savings back to the Federal Budget.