A number of people, mostly from outside of the constituency, have contacted me regarding the need for a stroke strategy for the UK. Health is an area of policy devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and this is not an area I would wish to comment on with regards the rest of the UK.
I am aware that strokes remain the third-biggest killer in Scotland and the leading cause of disability, which is why it has been a clinical priority for NHS Scotland. The SNP Scottish Government’s Stroke Improvement Plan, published in August 2014, sets out eight priority areas to ensure that we continue to strive towards improved prevention, treatment and care. This is part of the 2020 vision, and focusses on safe, effective and person-centred care.
More widely, the SNP Scottish Government have been focussed on improving health outcomes in Scotland, which is why health spending has increased to a record level under the SNP with Scotland’s health budget rising to a record high of nearly £13 billion this year.