Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has launched a new strategy to help more people live their lives to the full and get the support they need.
Phase two of the No Life Half Lived strategy wants to support 175,000 people over the next five years through its community healthcare support services and a community recovery model.
It aims help people to live with, and understand, their condition, improve their overall health, get back to work, hobbies, and interests and ensure they need fewer NHS services.
That support is vital to people like Susie Allan of Peterhead after she suffered a stroke at work.
The lead practice nurse took ill in July last year and has been supported back into part-time work by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.
Susie said: “In a lot of ways, my experience is now an advantage to me in my job because I can tell patients that if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.
“I have had great support from Fiona Sales, who is the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland stroke nurse in Grampian. I know from my practice experience how helpful the charity’s resources and support are to people recovering from stroke.
She added: “It took a while to come to terms with the stroke, but eventually I had to accept it had happened, that I am as vulnerable as anyone else and there are no guarantees in life.
“It’s been helpful, though. I can say to patients I have gone through the same experience and know what they’re dealing with. The Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland leaflets and booklets are wonderful too – they help people understand what stroke is and what comes next.”
Last year Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland also launched a new community respiratory team in Grampian to provide wraparound care for people living with lung disease in a package worth £150,000.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s One in Five research report, which helped shape the second phase of the No Life Half Lived strategy revealed a mental health and rehabilitation crisis facing the 1 in 5 Scots that live with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid.
A survey of more than 1,850 people represented by Scotland’s largest health charity showed less than half (45%) had received rehabilitation from the NHS.
The research also found people who have accessed Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s services rated their health and wellbeing higher than those who hadn’t.
Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland said: “The fact that so many Scots are being denied access to vital rehabilitation services is extremely distressing.
“People are leaving hospital or receiving a diagnosis and they are scared and feel alone. They need to trust they will get the help they are entitled to so they can begin their recovery journey and get back to the life they love.
“CHSS is there to support people to stay healthy and well at home for as long as possible.
“We are committed to dramatically increasing the number of people we deliver services to over the next five years to 175,000, reducing the pressure on the NHS. But when people miss out on the first step on their recovery journey – NHS rehab – that makes our job so much harder.
“We’re doing our bit, it’s only in working together that we can achieve this. We are calling on the NHS and Scottish Government to keep their promises to those living with long-term conditions and make essential services easily and immediately available.
“Together we can ensure people with chest, heart, stroke and Long-Covid conditions can live full, happy lives. Together we can ensure there is No Life Half Lived in Scotland.”