SDLP Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin
It follows the release of figures giving stroke care at Altnagelvin Hospital an overall grade of a D (several areas require improvement) for the period July-September 2022.
The figures from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme also revealed that Altnagelvin Hospital had the highest percentage of patients assessed after six months (63%).
Said Ms McLaughlin: “The figures released by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme once again show that people in the North are subject to a postcode lottery when it comes to stroke care.
“While this represents a slight improvement from earlier this year when our local services were graded as E, it is clear that local services are still suffering from a lack of investment in our health service.
“While our dedicated stroke workforce work around the clock, they are being abjectly failed by the political dysfunction that is preventing those of us who want to do our jobs as elected representatives getting back to work and agreeing a budget that will invest the necessary funding into our health service.
“It is deeply frustrating to see such an assessment made of our local stroke services, while we are almost completely powerless to take action at Stormont.
“We need an Assembly and Executive back up and running to question the Health Minister on the progress that can be made to end the postcode lottery in stroke services and guarantee multi-year investment.”
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