The House

Better thrombecto­my access can save brains and change lives

Thrombecto­my, an extraordin­ary stroke treatment, saves brains, saves money and changes lives. It can transform stroke recovery in an instant and would save the NHS £73 million each year. So why do three quarters of the patients who need it miss out?

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“Improving thrombecto­my access must be achieved. Too many future stroke patients depend on it”

Stroke remains a leading cause of death and adult disability in the UK - two thirds of stroke survivors will leave hospital with a disability. Yet, a highly effective acute treatment for some strokes – thrombecto­my – is essentiall­y ‘subject to availabili­ty’. This game changing treatment has been around for over a decade, but the number of people who have had this treatment is still incredibly low. Around three quarters of people who need one miss out.

Despite excellent stroke leadership at national and local levels, the wider system often fails to recognise the scale and impact of stroke, the potential for recovery, and the huge gains to be made by investing in thrombecto­my.

Since we launched our Saving Brains report on thrombecto­my this summer, around 9000 people affected by stroke, and many health and care organisati­ons signed an Open Letter to Government calling for national action on thrombecto­my: to deliver upfront capital investment, develop a sustainabl­e stroke workforce and tackle nationwide ambulance pressures.

The APPG on Stroke, co-chaired by Sir Bob Neill MP and Baroness Wheeler, has been keeping stroke, and thrombecto­my, high on the agenda. And support has been building.

To mark World Stroke Day in October, MPs and Peers wore Stroke Associatio­n badges in the chambers, signed Sir Bob Neill MP’s EDM, and attended our parliament­ary reception. There they were joined by doctors and those affected by stroke to hear how better thrombecto­my access can save brains and change lives – refocusing us all on a clear call to action. We recognise the enormous constraint­s on the NHS, but the new government must look at the bigger picture. Thrombecto­my needs upfront investment which will then save the health and care system £73 million each year, by significan­tly reducing demand on rehabilita­tion and community support.

The stroke community are awaiting a response to our Open Letter from the government. Improving thrombecto­my access simply must be achieved.

Too many future stroke patients depend on it.

 ?? ?? Pictured is John Stephens (a stroke survivor who had a thrombecto­my), Margo Stephens (Speech and Language Therapist and John’s wife), Sir Bob Neill MP, Juliet Bouverie OBE (our Chief Executive), Baroness Wheeler, and Barbara Keeley MP at the Stroke Associatio­n’s recent parliament­ary reception
Pictured is John Stephens (a stroke survivor who had a thrombecto­my), Margo Stephens (Speech and Language Therapist and John’s wife), Sir Bob Neill MP, Juliet Bouverie OBE (our Chief Executive), Baroness Wheeler, and Barbara Keeley MP at the Stroke Associatio­n’s recent parliament­ary reception
 ?? ?? Pictured is Dr Sanjeev Nayak (who performs thrombecto­my procedures), Juliet Bouverie OBE (Stroke Associatio­n
Chief Executive), and Phil Woodford (a stroke survivor who missed out on a thrombecto­my because he had his stroke at the weekend), handing in our Saving Brains Open Letter to 10 Downing Street
Pictured is Dr Sanjeev Nayak (who performs thrombecto­my procedures), Juliet Bouverie OBE (Stroke Associatio­n Chief Executive), and Phil Woodford (a stroke survivor who missed out on a thrombecto­my because he had his stroke at the weekend), handing in our Saving Brains Open Letter to 10 Downing Street
 ?? ?? Juliet Bouverie OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Stroke Associatio­n
Juliet Bouverie OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Stroke Associatio­n

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