National Stroke Strategy

Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes Excerpts

Wednesday 5th July 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord O’Shaughnessy]

The noble Lord is quite right to highlight that issue. There is increased screening for atrial fibrillation as part of the community-based efforts to prevent the incidence of stroke, and that has been one of the factors that have reduced the incidence of stroke over the past few years.

[Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes (Con)]

My Lords, does my noble friend not agree that one of the most important issues is informing people about what is likely to cause a stroke if special care is not taken?

[Lord O’Shaughnessy]

I thank my noble friend for that question. She is quite right. That is why public health campaigns around both obesity and smoking—a cause I know the noble Lord, Lord Rennard, is also passionate about—are so important. That is why we are continuing to invest in those public health programmes that have led to the improving stroke outcomes that I have described.