Stroke Association reacts to the latest ambulance response times

NHS figures for May, which are out today, show that the average response time for category 2 calls, which includes stroke, was 27 minutes and 54 seconds. This is up from 27 minutes and 34 seconds in April. This is against the national target of an average response time of 30 minutes for Category 2 calls which was set by the Government and NHS for 2025/26. This had previously been set at 18 minutes but was repeatedly missed. This 30-minute target was also backed up in last week’s Urgent and Emergency Care Plan.

In the UK, someone has a stroke every five minutes. Stroke is a medical emergency and, as 1.9 million brain cells die every minute after stroke hits, timely medical assistance is vital to minimise the disabilities stroke survivors may be left with. The main treatments for stroke – thrombectomy and thrombolysis – are also most effective within hours of the onset of stroke.

Juliet Bouverie, CEO of the Stroke Association, said: “This month’s data confirms that far too many patients are being left with no option but to watch the time tick by as they wait for life-saving treatment. Stroke must be treated as a medical emergency, so it is unacceptable to keep people waiting when time is so critical for the effective treatment of stroke.

“These delays are largely due to a lack of consistent funding and the resources needed for the dedicated workforce to be able to do their jobs effectively. We hope the cash injection announced in yesterday’s Spending Review can go towards speeding up these response times and ensuring people with stroke get help as soon as they need it from diagnosis to treatment and recovery.”

In response to yesterday’s Spending Review, Juliet Bouverie added:

“The spending review brought welcome news of increased funding for the NHS at a time when it is so desperately needed. Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and the fourth leading cause of death in the UK. People affected by stroke are all too often plagued by the well-documented issues facing the NHS from ambulance delays to workforce capacity, and this can’t continue.

“We have long been calling for simple but effective measures to properly care for stroke patients whilst also ensuring the right financial decisions are made. Lifesaving thrombectomy could save £73 million a year if rolled out 24/7 nationally by reducing disability of stroke survivors. Expanding technologies like pre-hospital video triage could improve diagnosis and treatment times, reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and minimise costly delays in care.

“At a time when the health service faces so many challenges, we hope this injection of cash will be invested into stroke care to stop two thirds of stroke survivors being left with a disability. To achieve this, we want to see a wider cardiovascular disease plan that includes a focus on stroke to follow the publication of the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.”

ENDS