Meeting of the Parliament 21 November 2024
First, I put on record my thanks to Roz McCall for bringing this debate to the chamber and for reminding us that stroke can affect any one of us. Like so many others who have contributed to the debate, I have a very close family experience of someone who had a stroke just this summer. Mercifully, they are making a pretty good recovery, but I recognise that for too many, including the Bundy family, that is not the case, and that stroke can lead to tragic and sudden loss.
I welcome the launch of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s FAST campaign. It and other stroke charities, such as the Stroke Association, do vital work in raising awareness and supporting people who have suffered a stroke, and I want to thank them for that.
I say at the outset that I recognise and regret the fact that there has been no Government-backed stroke awareness campaign in Scotland for some time. Although our financial position remains difficult, my hope is that the Scottish Government can revisit whether a stroke awareness campaign next year will add value to the excellent work that is being carried out by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, as well as the work of the Stroke Association and other charities, which has been referenced by others from across the chamber.
It is clear that colleagues across the chamber recognise the importance of raising awareness of stroke. Roz McCall shared her personal story, for which I am very grateful; it is not easy to share in public stories about private issues. She made a strong point about the speed of response, which was also mentioned by others, and reinforced the need for greater awareness of FAST—face, arms, speech, time. I welcome her support regarding the importance of public awareness-raising campaigns and public health marketing campaigns.
Evelyn Tweed recognised some of the things that contribute to a greater risk of stroke. Interventions such as lifestyle changes that address issues such as blood pressure form a clear part of the reform and improvement work that I want our health service to do to prevent stroke. We have spoken clearly about the need for speed of reaction when stroke symptoms are present, but Evelyn Tweed’s point about the requirements for preventing stroke is also incredibly important.