Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2024
471. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the way in which the national stroke strategy is to be funded in 2024; the items of expenditure that will be funded; the funding that is being made available for the stroke strategy in terms of existing levels of service and other measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8637/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 aims to modernise and reform stroke services in line with Sláintecare policy and address the challenges facing Ireland from population ageing and the predicted increase in the total number of strokes right across Europe, including Ireland.
The government is fully committed to supporting improvements and advances in stroke services and has allocated a total of €7.3m to fund the HSE National Stroke Strategy over the last two Budgets which comprises of:
• 2024 Existing Levels of Service (ELS) recurring funding of €3.7m which was allocated for the extension of the GP contract to include primary care-delivered case finding and treatment strategy for Hypertension in over 45-year olds;
• This was in addition to the €3.6m recurring funding that was allocated in new service developments (NSD) in 2023.
• Separately, but related to this, pay budgets for the recruitment of 24.9 WTEs was provided in 2023, to further the implementation of the strategy. To date 12 WTE’s have been recruited.
The strategy provides a blueprint for required investment in stroke services over the five-year period from 2022-2027.
