Lower Your Risk of Stroke

Stroke is the third single largest cause of death in the UK yet up to half could be prevented by controlling blood pressure, treating an irregular heartbeat and acting on transient ischeamic attacks (TIAs).

As you know, Lower Your Risk of Stroke is a national campaign being coordinated by the Stroke Association and Public Health Wales which aims to raise awareness of stroke specific risk factors and encourage the public to take action to reduce their risk. In particular the campaign promotes the importance of:

· Getting your blood pressure tested;
· Checking your pulse; and
· Not ignoring a TIA or “funny turn”

On the 10th of February the Deputy Minister for Health will be launching the Community Pharmacy element of the campaign in Cardiff. Thereafter, during February and March we will be inviting the public to visit their local pharmacy to take our Lower Your Risk of Stroke quiz.

In support of the campaign we have asked General Practices; NHS Dental Practices; Community Optometry Practices, hospitals and Libraries in Wales to display posters in their public areas.

The campaign is a partnership with Welsh Government, Community Pharmacy Wales, the Stroke Implementation Group, the seven Health Boards, Public Health Wales and is supported by the Welsh Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE) at Cardiff University and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Wales (RPS).

If you would like further details of the campaign or information about the campaign materials, including the Lower Your Risk of Stroke quiz, please contact Lucy Thomas on: lucy.thomas@stroke.org.uk; or Rebecca Chamberlain: rebecca.chamberlain@stroke.org.uk

You can also view / download the campaign materials on the Community Pharmacy Wales Website:
http://www.cpwales.org.uk/Contractors-Area/Public-Health-Campaign/Stroke-Campaign/Lower-your-risk-of-Stroke.aspx