Thursday, 30 May 2024

Stroke Foundation

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:47): (935) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Health, and it relates to advocacy requests from the Stroke Foundation of Victoria. I know many MPs have received this request and are highly sympathetic to the wishes of and very good deeds done by the Victorian stroke foundation. Indeed they quite often come into Parliament and provide us with a reality check on the impact that stroke has on thousands upon thousands of Victorians. In 2020 there were 7000 Victorians who had new, first-time strokes, and roughly 30 per cent of those, very sadly, perished.

The Stroke Foundation made some very modest requests from this government that were denied in the budget – moderate requests in order to prevent stroke in the first place, for early intervention for those suffering stroke so that people around them are upskilled in what to do if they see someone having a stroke and also for stroke survivors. They were very moderate requests. The action I seek is for the minister to dig deep and find $250,000 per annum for four years for the FAST project, which is ‘face, arms, speech and time’. This is an evidence-based community education program and multimedia campaign to prevent deaths. The other part to this is the Navigator service, $400,000 a year for four years. Again, it is small crumbs to the government, but this can make a huge difference on families having someone that will come home in the event of a stroke.

Some of the programs that we see from this Navigator service that are very important are for those people who are discharged from hospital, who are able to go home post stroke. There needs to be that coordination for stroke survivors for referrals to other services. We want better health care in this state. We need better health care in this state. We have a body that is respected; we all absolutely respect the Stroke Foundation. They have done good work over so many years. When I was at the Yarram Show at the start of this year, they had demonstrations that we participated in about how to prevent stroke and save people’s lives. I endorse the Stroke Foundation’s modest requests, and I ask the Minister for Health to find the money and support these initiatives.