The Government has committed over €60 million since 2000 towards the implementation of the Cardiovascular Health Strategy, ‘Building Healthier Hearts'. This funding has supported a wide range of new services and initiatives which have had a positive impact on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart disease. An audit of progress on the implementation of the Strategy showed a continuing decline in cardiovascular disease.
However, given the many changes that have occurred since the strategy was launched in 1999, an updated policy on cardiovascular health, including stroke, was considered necessary to ensure that cardiovascular health continues to be a high priority for the health service. In September 2007, I established a Cardiovascular Health Policy Group to draw up a new policy framework for the development of all aspects of cardiovascular health, including stroke. It is expected that the report of the Group will be published by the end of June 2009.