Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many emergency ambulance dispatches there were for stroke in areas of high levels of air pollution during April 2019; and what comparative assessment he has made of those figures and the average number of dispatches in April over the last (a) 20, (b) 10 and (c) five years.

According to the Daily Air Quality Index there were ‘moderate’ to ‘very high’ levels of air pollution in some areas of the United Kingdom between 7 and 8 April and between 15 to 25 April 2019. The figures for emergency ambulance dispatches for stroke in this period are not available in the requested format and a comparative assessment has not been made.

In January 2019, the Government launched the Clean Air Strategy, which sets out plans for dealing with all sources of air pollution to save lives, protect nature and boost the economy.

Preventing stroke is one of NHS England’s priorities and, following the publication of the NHS Long Term Plan in January 2019, NHS England has been working closely with the Stroke Association to develop a national stroke programme to be delivered within the timescale of this plan.