THE STROKE Association has moved to allay fears over the future of Bromsgrove’s Life After Stroke Centre (LASC) after announcing face-to-face activities would stop there next Friday, March 31.
The charity confirmed the LASC building would not be closing but the in-person activities would be taking place elsewhere.
The centre became the first of its kind in the country when it opened in 2012 to deliver help and support to stroke survivors and their families in a way never been seen before. In the first five years it had helped more than 600 stroke survivors.
But this week the charity said an evaluation of all the services offered at LASC had revealed only a very small number of people affected by stroke were attending sessions at the centre.
The association added it was less than one per cent of stroke survivors in Bromsgrove and Redditch.
Sarah Adderley, Associate Director for the Midlands at the Stroke Association, said:”While the report has highlighted several reasons for this, it is clear the location of the centre is definitely a factor.
“Therefore we have taken the decision to cease activities at the centre from the end of March.
“At every step of the process we have looked to involve everyone who uses the centre and they were the first to know the outcomes of our evaluation too.
“Our full programme of activities will continue at the centre until the end of March and our team will be working with service users over the following weeks and months to access alternative services in the area.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we will continue to fund life after stroke activities and groups in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area, while our team is also on hand to help make this transition as smooth as possible.”
She added the evaluation showed more stroke survivors could be supported by the charity helping them get to services and activities in more accessible spaces.
With regard to the building, Ms Adderley added: “The future of the building was not part of the evaluation and our decision to cease activities at the centre was not made in relation to the building.
“We will continue to use the centre for training, staff meetings and as a venue for our North East Worcestershire stroke group too.”
Anyone wanting to talk about the situation or find out more can email Tracey Osborn at [email protected] or call her on 07342 049972.
