To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the funding of the Stroke Action Plan.

The Stroke Action plan identifies six priorities for improvement. The full implementation of priorities in respect of prevention, thrombolysis, thrombectomy and rehabilitation and long term support would require an additional £10m investment in stroke services. Costs in respect of hyperacute stroke care and the stroke workforce have not yet been identified.

The Resource budget available to my Department was insufficient to cover the significant increases in costs we are facing in 2024-25 as a result of pay and price inflation and rising demand. Consequently, there has been insufficient funding to meet all of our pressures. In this context, the focus has been on making improvements in stroke services from within current resources.

Looking ahead, my Department has submitted details of additional funding requirements for stroke reform for future years to the Department of Finance as part of the Budget 2025-26 Process: Information Gathering. This information was submitted to the Department of Finance in October 2024 and will inform the Executive’s consideration of the budget for the three years 2025-28.