Stroke Survivors Face Disability Due to NHS Postcode Lottery

Stroke victims are missing out on a potentially life-saving procedure due to an NHS postcode lottery, experts warn. A thrombectomy, which removes a blood clot from a blocked blood vessel in the brain, must be performed within 24 hours of a stroke. However, patchy access to this treatment at hospitals across the UK means that some patients face a lifetime of disability while others do not.

Missed Opportunities for Thrombectomy

Analysis from the Stroke Association indicates that between October and December last year, 1,222 stroke patients did not receive a thrombectomy. Professor Deb Lowe, medical director of the charity, stated: "There are thousands of stroke survivors in the UK who could be living very different lives from the realities they now face if they had received a thrombectomy." She added that these individuals could potentially work, live independently, hold conversations, and enjoy a sense of normality. Instead, many cannot leave the house without assistance.

Impact on Stroke Survivors

Over 85,000 people survive a stroke each year in the UK. Brain damage from a stroke can leave survivors unable to move, see, speak, or swallow. The NHS is missing a target set in 2019 to expand thrombectomy from 1% to 10% of stroke patients, which would enable an additional 1,600 people to live independently each year. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, covering England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, found that only 4.8% of stroke patients received a thrombectomy between October and December 2025.

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Inequitable Access Across England

Of the 24 specialist neuroscience centres in England, only 17 currently provide thrombectomy services around the clock, despite funding reportedly being made available for 24/7 care. Phil Woodford, aged 55, had a stroke on a weekend in 2016 and missed out on a thrombectomy because his nearest centre did not offer round-the-clock service. He now suffers from significant disability, including reduced movement on his left side, permanent pain, and fatigue. Phil, a former NHS director from Preston, was forced into early retirement. He said: "I will never know for sure but I am confident that, if I'd had a thrombectomy, I wouldn't have been forced to retire due to the extent of disability." He added that it remains frustratingly unavailable when needed.

Reasons for Disparities

Professor Deb Lowe highlighted multiple factors contributing to the inequality: gaps in the stroke workforce, targeted funding issues, lack of prioritisation by commissioners and hospital leaders, and delays due to ambulance response times or hospital handovers. An NHS England spokeswoman responded: "The NHS continues to expand thrombectomy services for those eligible, with more stroke patients receiving it each year. However, it is not the right treatment for all, and new clot-busting treatments are improving care and reducing the need for invasive procedures." She noted that over 80% of patients now have access to 24/7 thrombectomy centres, with remaining sites opening soon, and an extra £14 million is being invested to further expand services and train additional staff.