Member's statement: Stroke Awareness Month and Dementia Action Week
Member's statement by Mr Philip McGuigan on .
- MLA
- Mr Philip McGuigan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 18 May 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Stroke Awareness Month and Dementia Action Week
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5547923
Read the official Assembly record
Text
May is Stroke Awareness Month. It is an important reminder of the need to recognise the signs of stroke and act FAST. The FAST test helps people recognise the most common symptoms of a stroke: face — has one side dropped; arms — can both be lifted; speech — is it slurred or confused; time — is it time to seek urgent medical help? That urgency is exactly why a life-saving procedure such as a thrombectomy is so vital, yet, in the North, it is available only between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm. Last Friday was World Thrombectomy Day, and it was also 500 days since the stroke action plan committed to delivering a 24-hour service by the end of 2024. In that time, hundreds of patients may have missed treatment that could have helped them walk, speak, swallow or live independently. One of my constituents suffered a stroke at just 39 years of age. Thankfully, she received a thrombectomy in time. Her family arrived at the hospital expecting the worst, only to find her sitting up and speaking. Hours earlier, she had been unable to communicate. That is the difference that a thrombectomy can make. Every eligible patient deserves access to that treatment, regardless of when their stroke occurs. Tomorrow at 10.00 am, I will join stroke survivors, clinicians, campaigners and the Stroke Association outside to mark 500 days since the service should have been delivered. I encourage all Members to join us to send a clear message that we can no longer wait for a fully operational, 24/7 thrombectomy service. Today also marks the beginning of Dementia Action Week, which is an important opportunity to recognise the growing impact that dementia has on thousands of families in the North. Nearly 25,000 people here are living with dementia, and that number is expected to rise by more than 50% by 2040. Behind those figures are mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, carers and loved ones, many of whom face daily emotional, physical and financial challenges. New findings from the Alzheimer's Society show that many dementia patients here continue to face long delays to diagnosis, alongside major gaps in treatment and support. Dementia is the leading cause of death across these islands, but one in three people with dementia still do not have a diagnosis. That means missed opportunities for early intervention, treatment and support for patients and their families. Without decisive action, the human and financial cost of dementia will continue to rise. We urgently need a bold, new dementia strategy, one that is focused on early diagnosis, better support for carers, a properly trained workforce and long-term investment in services. This Dementia Action Week, the message must be clear: we cannot afford to wait any longer for action.
460 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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