Stroke Foundation has welcomed new funding from the Australian Government as part of the 2024-25 Budget but warns more investment is urgently needed to seriously tackle the impact of stroke on Australians and the nation's economy.
As part of the budget, $200,000 will be provided for the Foundation's Living Well After Stroke program for one year. This program empowers Australians to change their health behaviours and prevent secondary stroke.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says this is a good start but long-term investment is critical.
"We are pleased to receive $200,000 and we will ensure it goes a long way in improving the health outcomes of Australians but this is simply a starting point and if real progress is to be made, we need to see real investment."
The new funding complements existing funding of $300,000 for a national awareness campaign, educating Australians on the common signs of stroke, for which funding ends in March next year. Ahead of the budget, Stroke Foundation pleaded with the government to increase its investment of the awareness program beyond 2024.
"Failure to invest in key programs in this year's budget will impact the education and community work that have been proven to save lives," Dr Murphy said.
"Time is critical when a person is experiencing a stroke. The quicker they receive treatment the better the outcome. Without Australians knowing the signs of a stroke, they lose valuable time to receive emergency treatment."
Stroke Foundation currently funds critical programs via donations but as cost of living pressures increase, demand for services rise, and the health system fails to meet post-discharge needs from hospital, more funding is needed from the government to meet demand.
" We are deeply concerned about the Australian Government's decision not to fund the world's first Living Guidelines in Stroke Management, regarded by experts as the foundation for delivering timely and up-to-date treatment, and critical funding to expand the reach and capacity of Stroke Foundation's StrokeLine," Dr Murphy said.
"Not funding these programs is detrimental to the Australian health system and puts at risk the quality of care Australians experiencing a stroke will receive.
