Social care cuts piling pressure on GPs: Stroke Association comments

Almost 90% of GPs fear that social care services are not providing a sufficient level of care for patients leading to extra pressure on surgeries and other parts of the health system, according to a poll of over 800 GPs commissioned by the Care and Support Alliance.

Nikki Hill, Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Stroke Association said:

“Social care is vital for many stroke survivors and their families. Stroke is the largest cause of complex disability in the UK. Over a third of stroke survivors are dependent on others to help them with day to day tasks, and for many, help provided by social care is a crucial form of support that ensures they remain independent.

The challenge is that almost half of stroke survivors say they feel ‘abandoned’ when they are discharged from hospital. Social care services need to be sufficiently resourced to meet their needs so they can have the best chance of recovery and rehabilitation. Getting the basic services right would reduce the burden stroke care places on the economy and the cost to individual lives.”