Stroke patients in England are being failed by NHS pressures and deep inequalities in care, according to a new report by the Stroke Association. The charity warns that a postcode lottery for life-saving drugs and procedures is leaving many survivors with long-term disabilities.
The report, titled 'Unlocking potential: a bold vision for stroke care in England', reveals that only 47% of patients were sent directly to a specialist stroke unit within four hours of arriving at hospital in 2023/24, down from 58% a decade earlier. Delays in ambulance handovers and a lack of diagnostic imaging are contributing to the problem.
There is significant regional variation in access to thrombolysis, a clot-busting drug, and thrombectomy, a surgical procedure to remove clots. For example, thrombectomy rates are 10.3% in London but just 1.1% in the east of England. The Stroke Association estimates that 20% of patients could benefit from thrombolysis, but rates vary from 13.2% in the East of England to 10.1% in the Midlands.
The charity is calling for wider rollout of pre-hospital video triage (PVT), which allows stroke specialists to assess patients via video link with ambulance teams before they reach hospital. This technology has been trialled in 16 locations since 2020 but is not yet universally available.
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: 'Stroke rates keep rising, particularly among younger people, yet NHS pressures and deep inequalities in care across the country are failing patients.' She urged the Government to use its 10-Year Health Plan to reset cardiovascular care and ensure equity, innovation and excellence.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, acknowledged the need for improvement, stating that the NHS is committed to supporting people to manage high-risk conditions and improving access to lifesaving innovations. The Government has said its 10-Year Health Plan will focus on prevention and greater use of technology.
