Stroke Association steps in to keep vital Devon stroke support service going

Stroke survivors in Devon will continue to receive Life After Stroke support after the Stroke Association agreed to temporarily meet the costs from the charity’s funds.

The charity’s Devon Stroke Recovery Service had been due to close after funding from NHS Devon and Plymouth City Council ceased.

More than 2,700 people signed a petition to save the service but this failed to change the decision.

Now the Stroke Association has agreed to provide interim funding for 15 months after receiving a commitment from NHS Devon to work together to find a long-term solution from April 2026.

The charity said it was doing this because of the exceptional situation in Devon, with NHS Devon under Level 4 NHS England special measures, which is the most serious level of oversight.

Jacqui Cuthbert, the Stroke Association’s associate director for the South West and the Channel Islands, said: “We recognise the extreme financial circumstances that NHS Devon currently finds itself in. 

“We have a joint commitment from NHS Devon to work together closely to find a long-term solution to support those affected by stroke after the Stroke Association funding ends in 2026.

“Providing Life After Stroke support is a vital part of the clinical pathway for stroke survivors, easing pressures on clinical teams and delivering better patient outcomes.  

“Our charity has offered to provide a continuing service to stroke survivors and carers in the county from our own funds on a temporary basis. 

“It’s important to stress that this can only be for a maximum of 15 months, after which we hope NHS Devon will be free from the special measures they are currently under.  

“This breathing space will also give us time to explore alternative ways to meet the costs of local support services, including fundraising from the local community. This could, for example, be individual donations, grants from charitable trusts, corporate sponsorship of a combination of these and other sources. 

“In the long term, the personal support offered to stroke survivors and carers by our trained and experienced stroke support coordinators in the community is only possible where it is funded. 

“It is not something which we could afford to sustain indefinitely from our own charitable funds. We look forward to continuing to work with NHS Devon and the local community over the coming months to find a long-term solution. 

“The Devon stroke recovery service has been running for approaching 20 years and each year around 1,470 stroke survivors are referred to us. Of these, more than 875 a year received the more intensive 1-1 support they and their families need.

“We know from the huge amount of feedback that we have received since the threat to the service was revealed just how much Devonians value the support they have received.

“Stroke survivors and carers will continue to be offered high quality support and we aim to meet the needs of an increasing number of stroke survivors and carers.  

“Because a stroke happens so quickly, people often leave hospital without being completely sure what's happened or why and totally unprepared for the many challenges that lie ahead.

“Our Life After Stroke service provides tailored support from hospital to home addressing the long-term practical, emotional and communication needs of stroke survivors, their families and carers.”

There are more than 32,000 stroke survivors in Devon, making the county one of the top three highest areas in the UK for stroke prevalence - the proportion of the population living with the condition.

Stroke survivor Graham Devaney, who launched the petition to save the service, said: “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who signed the petition, which shows how immensely valued it is by stroke survivors and carers in Devon.

“It’s great news that the Stroke Association has been able to fund it on an interim basis but with Devon’s aging population and growing number of stroke survivors it’s essential to find a long-term solution.”