The whole system must Act FAST to get stroke patients the care they need

You might have seen the Act FAST adverts again recently. It’s a memorable message, it was designed that way.

Face, Arms, Speech, Time to call 999. It’s simple yet effective. We know this public health message helps people spot the signs of a stroke, and remember to call 999 immediately.

Quick access to stroke care makes all the difference to someone’s recovery – time is brain. For every minute a stroke goes untreated, 1.9 million brain cells can die – making it more likely someone will be left with a disability. If a stroke is left too long, people can miss the window for some treatments, like thrombectomy, entirely.

Thrombectomy

Thrombectomy is a game-changing treatment for stroke, where a clot causing a stroke is physically removed from the brain. It saves brains, saves money and changes lives. It can transform stroke recovery in an instant and could save the NHS £73 million each year. But most people who need it, miss out.

Delays in access to treatment

Quick access to treatment like thrombectomy is vital. And we’re concerned about slipping standards in stroke care leading to delays in access to treatments like thrombectomy.

Stroke patients regularly wait hours for an ambulance, and we’ve seen a devastating deterioration in stroke standards. The annual report from the latest stroke clinical audit shows that, during 2021-22: 

“the proportion of ‘first class’ and ‘good or excellent’ services fell substantially, reversing much of the progress made in care quality in the years prior to the pandemic.” 

Systemic issues

Wider issues in the health system are preventing hard working stroke teams from being able to deliver the stroke care needed.

We know severe ambulance pressures are lengthening the time it takes for stroke patients to arrive at a stroke unit, meaning people are missing out on time-sensitive treatments like thrombectomy. The Urgent and Emergency Care plan announced earlier this year is a vital first step towards restoring emergency services and improving the treatment and care stroke patients receive. We hope to see the plan’s two key ambitions – to reduce Category 2 (including stroke) ambulance response times and A&E waiting times – achieved, as this will undoubtedly improve outcomes and experiences for people affected by stroke.

However, the delivery of this plan, and improving stroke care, hinges on the upcoming Workforce Plan. Gaps in the stroke workforce are preventing teams from working 24/7, and are putting growing pressure on the whole stroke pathway. The government must publish the Workforce Plan, in full and accompanied by dedicated funding, to support our incredible stroke professionals to deliver high-quality care into the future. We also encourage Integrated Care Systems to recognise the key role that charities like ours can play in relieving pressures on stretched services.

Without addressing these systemic issues – we won’t see access to stroke care speeding up.

Biography

Emily Heard is Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager at the Stroke Association. She has worked in involvement and campaigns roles in the NHS and health charities for over 10 years and is passionate about improving care and making sure people have a say over policy that affects them.