The stroke Association have warned that over 31,000 patients missed out on stroke treatment due to delays in ambulance waiting times.
New figures released show that 31,388 stroke patients missed out on treatment, as they arrived at hospital outside of the time window of when the treatment can be administered.
Waiting, waiting, waiting…
A new report published by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), which is the biggest stroke data project in the UK, has shown that rates of patients receiving thrombolysis has fallen from 10.7 per cent in 2020/21 to 10.4 percent in 2021/22.
There was a further decline to 10.3 per cent in January – March this year, which is the lowest rate since SSNAP began.
In addition to this, new ambulance response data displays that more than 32,000 individuals with emergencies including suspected stroke who called for an ambulance in October 2022 waited over two hours on average for it to arrive.
The data release from NHS England shows that the average response time to category 2 emergency call-outs such as stroke was just over one hour, which is over three times the 18 minute response time target.
The 90th percentile target of 40 minutes was also not met.
In October 2022, 10 per cent of ambulances took over two hours and 16 minutes, which is longer than any month in 2020-21.
Missing out and improvements
The number of patients that miss out on thrombolysis is also on the rise, between 2016 and 2021, 34.2 per cent of patients who did not receive thrombolysis did so because they were outside of the time window.
This number has risen to 38.8 per cent of patients in 2021-22.
In more positive news, 2,218 more parents received thrombectomy treatment, with eligible patients increasing from 20 per cent to 24 per cent.
However, this does mean that 76 per cent of eligible patients still missed out on this ‘game changing’ treatment.
Stroke Association CEO says…
Juliet Bouverie OBE, CEO of the Stroke Association, says: “We’re extremely worried that stroke survivors’ lives and recoveries are being put at risk when they aren’t able to access vital treatments such as thrombolysis due to treatment delays.
“Stroke is a medical emergency and every minute is critical, so it’s vitally important that we are able to get patients to hospital and into stroke treatment as quickly as possible.
“While it is encouraging to see the increase in rates of those having a life-changing thrombectomy, many are still missing out on this treatment and on thrombolysis, when they don’t present at hospital during the time window of eligibility, which we highlighted in our ‘Saving Brains’ campaign.
“We are incredibly grateful to the ambulance call handlers, paramedics and stroke clinicians who are working tirelessly under extreme pressure and we know hard-working clinicians across the stroke pathway are facing an uphill struggle to provide this treatment too but they need more support!
“Government and NHS leaders must act now to address immediate issues. Despite these ongoing challenges, our advice to the public remains the same.
“If you spot the signs of a stroke in you or someone else, it’s vital to call 999 straight away.
“This enables the patient to be scanned and seen by a stroke specialist as soon as possible when they arrive at hospital, giving them the best chance of survival and recovery.”
Under pressure
Professor Martin James, has highlighted that the report shows the pressure acute hospitals are facing, he says: “The report also highlights the pressure that acute hospitals are under since the peak of the COVID pandemic – we’re seeing the worst access that we’ve ever seen to specialist care on a stroke unit, and this has to be the priority for the recovery of stroke services over the coming year.”
