00:00Thank you Deputy Poseidon Officer. I'd also like to thank ALTAF for bringing this important debate forward because we all know that strokes are going to get worse across our society due to the obesity epidemic which is going across our country.
00:13One of the ways which we can reduce people having strokes in the future is by getting people fitter, getting people healthier, so they're not having strokes in the future.
00:21So I'd like to know from the Cabinet Secretary what efforts the Government is making to try and reduce obesity, especially within children, because we don't want to see our children getting obese because that means they're going to be having strokes a lot younger and that's not something that any of us want to see across Wales.
00:37And I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to reply to the debate, Jeremy Miles.
00:43Thank you Deputy Poseidon, every year stroke changes the lives of thousands of people. Acting on the symptoms of stroke and seeking treatment quickly is crucial, losing time can lead to the loss of brain cells.
01:00And that's why it's so important that everyone in Wales knows how to identify the signs and symptoms of stroke and to phone 999 immediately stroke.
01:09Stroke is the biggest killer but three in Wales but it's also one of the main causes of disability.
01:15The FAST campaign or CAM NESA as we heard has managed to raise awareness of stroke symptoms following the last campaign back in 2023.
01:27Public Health Wales evaluation showed that more people now identified the FAST acronym and understood the importance of phoning 999 when they saw signs of stroke.
01:39Today we've heard that no such campaign exists throughout the country.
01:43However, that ignores the materials and messages that raise awareness of stroke symptoms across Wales in surgeries and in hospital waiting rooms in community pharmacies and on the phone messages of many surgeries.
01:59Many partners are considering all of the opportunities to run a national campaign sustainably among them are Public Health Wales, the Stroke Association and Health Performance and Improvement.
02:15I welcome these efforts very much. Working together is the best way of delivering this.
02:20I've done these discussions and I've asked them to provide me with advice about the practicalities and options for running FAST or CAM NESA here in Wales again and to consider if the Welsh Government can provide support.
02:32Stroke is a medical emergency.
02:35Calling 999 is the fastest and safest route to specialist stroke care.
02:40As soon as you dial 999 you'll speak to someone who starts an assessment process by providing you with life-saving advice.
02:46When someone with suspected stroke or the person with them calls 999, they are prioritised in the new orange category.
02:55This recognises stroke as a medical emergency, requiring the quickest possible ambulance conveyance to hospital.
03:02The new clinical model of which the new categorisation of calls, which ensures callers receive the right response tailored to their symptoms, is an important part.
03:10A huge amount of work is also underway to improve access to stroke services and to improve people's outcomes and quality of life following a stroke.
03:19This is guided by the clear expectation which we set out in our stroke quality statement.
03:26Health boards are expected to use the stroke quality statement as the basis for planning and delivering services for their populations,
03:33with support from NHS Wales performance and improvement and the stroke implementation network.
03:39On the technological front, Wales has led the way, actually, in adopting AI across all health boards with stroke centres.
03:48The Brainomics AI platform speeds up accurate diagnosis and treatment, helping to save lives and improve outcomes.
03:56We are also testing pre-hospital video triage, which allows real-time communication between ambulance crews and hospital stroke specialists.
04:05The early results are promising, showing improved flow of communication and access to treatment.
04:13Wales was the first country to use both AI and pre-hospital video triage together to improve the patient experience, speed and accuracy of diagnosis from the ambulance journey.
04:25Our ambition is to digitally connect the whole stroke pathway.
04:29We must continue to drive these and more improvements, ensuring that they translate into positive outcomes for everyone who experiences a stroke in Wales.
04:40Our aim remains for people to have the lowest possible risk of having a stroke, and when it does occur, to have the best chance of surviving and returning to independence as quickly as possible.
04:50Looking ahead, we will publish a revised stroke quality statement in January 2026, maintaining an emphasis on timely and equitable access to 24-7 life-saving treatment.
05:04We also remain committed to the transformation of stroke services and moving to a regional comprehensive stroke centre model.
05:12You talk about equitable access, to access for the constituents in the north of my county, with the situation at Brongleis Hospital, where they're talking about downgrading the service there and removing it from the hospital.
05:24To talk about equitable access, how is that equitable for the people who live in the north of my constituency, the north of Powys?
05:29I'm sure what we all want to see for our constituents is the best possible health outcomes.
05:34All the evidence we have globally tells us the best way of delivering that is by regionalising stroke provision.
05:40That applies in Wales, as it does in every part of the world.
05:43So there is, unfortunately, a tension, and I acknowledge that, where stroke centres may be further away from residents.
05:52But the evidence tells us, the clinical evidence tells us, that by delivering in that model with local rehab and local services, that's the best way of ensuring that your constituents and mine survive stroke in the way that we all want to see.
06:08On Brongleis in particular, as the member will know very well, the Health Board is considering its options at the moment, and no decision has been taken.
06:16And we look forward to hearing what that decision will be in due course.
06:20Diplow, with in closing, we remain committed to the transformation of stroke services, and, as I just said to the member, to moving to a regional comprehensive stroke centre model.
06:32This will ensure people have access to the best possible specialist care to treat the immediate stroke, and is widely supported by clinicians.
06:41It will help to save lives and dramatically improve outcomes.
06:45Well, the stroke day, on the 29th of October, will focus this year on driving public awareness of stroke symptoms, and the need to act fast.
06:57Llywedd, Dyrbwy Llywedd, stroke is a priority, and we will maintain our focus on delivery and implementation, working collaboratively to ensure that we optimize access to stroke treatment, and to care, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for people right across Wales.
07:16Thank you, Secretary.
07:18And before I close today's business, both of you are working.
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