If the thrombectomy rate stays at 2020/21 levels, 47,112 stroke patients in England would miss out on the game changing stroke treatment

A new report by the Stroke Association released today warns that, if the thrombectomy rate stays at 2020/21 levels, 47,112 stroke patients in England would miss out on the game changing acute stroke treatment, mechanical thrombectomy, over the length of the newly revised NHS Long Term Plan.

This year, NHS England missed its original target to make mechanical thrombectomy available to all patients for whom it would benefit – only delivering to 28% of all suitable patients by December 2021.

The Stroke Association’s ‘Saving Brains’ report calls for a 24/7 thrombectomy service, which could cost up to £400 million. But treating all suitable strokes with thrombectomy would save the NHS £73 million per year.

Stroke professionals quoted in the report cite insufficient bi-plane suites, containing radiology equipment, as a barrier to a 24/7 service.

Mechanical thrombectomy is a procedure whereby a stent is used to manually remove large stroke-causing blood clots from the brain via a catheter inserted into the patient’s groin. The procedure vastly reduces disability and has been known to reduce hospital stay by a large number of months, with some patients being able to leave the next day, rather than spending months in in-patient rehab. The procedure has been described as one of the most effective procedures ever discovered.

Juliet Bouverie, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association said: “Thrombectomy is a miracle treatment that pulls patients back from near-death and alleviates the worst effects of stroke. It’s shocking that so many patients are missing out and being saddled with unnecessary disability. Plus, the lack of understanding from government, the NHS and local health leaders about the brain saving potential thrombectomy is putting lives at risk. There are hard-working clinicians across the stroke pathway facing an uphill struggle to provide this treatment and it’s time they got the support they need to make this happen. It really is simple. Thrombectomy saves brains, saves money and changes lives; now is the time for real action, so that nobody has to live with avoidable disability ever again.

“There is an unacceptable postcode lottery of stroke treatment, at a time when tackling health inequalities is a key priority for the government and NHS. Rates are rising gradually due to sustained efforts from national and local stroke teams, but progress is far slower than it needs to be. Tens of thousands will miss out, if rates stay the same as in 2020/21. NHS England’s original target was missed by a long way and we need to see proper efforts being made to make sure we’re not in the same position in 2029.

“Global clinical trials have proven thrombectomy’s efficacy and cost effectiveness multiple times over, yet we haven’t seen any real change. This is incredibly short sighted. A small investment, could save the NHS billions of pounds and that’s before we even start to think of the life-changing benefit to stroke patients.”

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