New figures show ongoing failure to deliver life-changing stroke treatment, with Scotland lagging far behind rest of the UK

John Watson, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:

“Stroke is Scotland's third biggest killer, and the leading cause of complex adult disability. But the latest official figures¹ show the ongoing failure of health boards to make stroke the priority it needs to be.

“The failure is most striking in thrombectomy, a life-saving, life-changing treatment that should be a normal part of any modern healthcare system. Thrombectomy also saves the health and care system £47,000 per patient over five years², potentially providing part of the solution to the current NHS and social care crisis.

“A Scotland-wide, round-the-clock thrombectomy service was promised years ago, yet less than a fifth of eligible patients get the intervention¹ that could transform their lives. The thrombectomy rate elsewhere in the UK³ is more than double that in Scotland.

“Today we highlight the harrowing story of one man who was unable to get treatment because he had his stroke in the wrong place, at the wrong time of day. Last year over 1,000 people were similarly let down by health boards who offer thrombectomy in some places, at restricted times.

“We work closely with stroke teams and recognise the tremendous efforts made by staff on the ground. But they can’t sort this on their own. It is political decisions, from the Scottish Government and health board leadership, that determine the resources, equipment and staff available to them.

“Small sums of money, such as investing in new operating suites to perform thrombectomies, would remove an existing bottleneck, save lives and quickly pay for themselves.

“But more than anything this requires political leadership. Oversight of the thrombectomy programme has now been passed to the NHS Planning and Delivery Board - it needs to own this problem and make it the priority it should have been all along.”

Graham’s story

Graham McGowan, 53, from Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, suffered left-side paralysis when he was unable to have a thrombectomy, for a stroke he had in 2022, due to restricted availability of the procedure.

The former consultant, trail runner and skier was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on the evening of 20 May 2022. A brain scan revealed a blood clot, which doctors advised should be treated with a thrombectomy.

However, Graham was unable to have the procedure because he arrived at hospital at around 9pm. Otherwise, he would have been air lifted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, one of Scotland’s three specialist thrombectomy hubs, where the procedure is carried out 9am-7pm, Monday to Friday. [The other two - Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh - perform the procedure 8am-8pm, Mon-Fri (Glasgow referrals only) / 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri (all other referrers), and 8am-9pm seven days a week (RIE referrals only) / 8am-9pm, Mon-Fri (all other referrers), respectively.]

Instead, Graham had thrombolysis, a drug which is used to try to disperse clots and help restore the blood supply to the brain, followed by intensive physiotherapy.

Three years later, Graham lives with his life-limiting cognitive and physical disability and is keen to raise awareness of the importance of 24/7 access to a national thrombectomy service, to prevent future stroke patients in Scotland missing out on the procedure and all the positive outcomes it can bring.

References

1. Scottish stroke improvement programme annual report 2025 - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland
2. https://www.iomcworld.org/proceedings/budget-implications-for-the-uk-nhs-of-implementing-mechanical-thrombectomy-for-the-treatment-of-acute-ischemic-stroke-pa-49204.html
3. Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) 2023/24 National Clinical Audit Annual Results Portfolio https://www.strokeaudit.org/Documents/National/Clinical/Apr2023Mar2024/Apr2023Mar2024-AnnualReport.aspx