Health chiefs are facing cross-party political pressure to save a “transformative” support service.
Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland is racing against time to keep alive a pilot project that helps stroke survivors maintain their independence.
The service is run by Hazel Staniforth at Perth Royal Infirmary, but its future is at risk unless campaigners can raise £30,000 by the end of the week.
Supporters hit the high streets in Perth and Dundee at the weekend, dressed as comic book characters, to collect donations.
If they reach their target, the service could be expanded across Tayside. So far, more than £11,000 has been raised in just two weeks.
Now bosses at NHS Tayside and the area’s three health and social care partnerships are being urged to join forces to keep the scheme going.
Nine MSPs from across Mid Scotland, Fife and the north-east have signed a joint letter to the region’s health chiefs Grant Archibald, Rob Packham, David Lynch and Vicky Irons.
“We urged you all to work together to ensure that this vital opportunity to support stroke survivors is not lost,” it states.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell will lodge a motion in parliament on Monday to gather further support for the project.
“I’ve heard from constituents first-hand the life changing impacts a stroke can have, on both the patients and their families,” he said. “The one-to-one support people in Tayside have been getting from the stroke rehabilitation services however has been transformative, helping people return home and get back to living their lives again.”
Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive of Chest, Heart and Scotland added: “We need everyone to work together to save this vital stroke service and expand it across Tayside.
“It’s great to see MSPs from different political parties coming together to help stroke survivors live life to the full.
“We will keep fundraising to reach our target, but we need everyone’s help to get there.”
Stroke survivor Irene Smeaton, from Perth, who has publicly backed the campaign added: “It means a lot to have politicians get behind this service and I hope others can support it too,” she said.
To donate visit
chss.org.uk/tayside
