The Cost of Stroke to the National Health Service in Scotland

Scottish National Health Service (NHS) stroke costs have been estimated for 1988 using accounting methods, updating a similar study for 1974. Stroke mortality in Scotland decreased by 36% between 1974 and 1988, but stroke NHS costs decreased only slightly, from 4.7 to 4.3% of total NHS costs. Stroke bed days as a proportion of total bed days rose from 6.4% in 1974 to 7.5% in 1988 and stroke hospital costs were 5.5% of total hospital costs of £4,600 per discharge. This figure is more than twice a preliminary Diagnosis Related Group (DRG 14) price suggested to Scottish Health Board managers in 1990 as an indicative charge for non-resident stroke patients.