A CWMBRAN man who has suffered from four strokes in the past five years says he agrees with a report to the Assembly published today calling for more dedicated stroke units in hospitals.

Lyndon Cook, 58, of Brynglas, Hollybush, says even though he was lucky enough to be treated in a specialist ward at Panteg Hospital, for many others it is not the same.

Mr Cook, who suffered from his first stroke in 2005, said: “I was lucky to be taken to a specialist stroke unit but there is a definite need for more in more hospitals.”

After suffering from three more strokes since then, with the last one being in 2008, Mr Cook has problems working the left side of his body and gets around using an electronic wheelchair. He also suffers from short-term memory loss.

The report from the Assembly’s Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee, which is published today, also recommends that the postcode lottery surrounding access to specialist services is ended and the inadequate levels of training for healthcare professionals in stroke services are addressed.

The committee also state their concern over the current ambulance response times, the lack of a register of stroke patients in Wales and calls for clearer allocation of funding for the services and more public awareness.

Mr Cook said: “During the past few years I have noticed care for stroke sufferers go down and there does seem to be a lack of funding for stroke support groups.”

Mr Cook and his wife Lorraine, 57, who cares for him full time, set up the Torfaen Stroke Support Group 18 months ago and although they have applied on many occasions for external funding they have never been successful.

The Torfaen Stroke Support Group meets at Canalside Resource Centre, Cwmbran, on the first and third Thursday of every month from 2pm until 4pm.

For more information contact 01633 675735.