Scotland lags six years behind UK in providing “game changing” treatment for stroke patients

In response to today’s publication of the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme 2026, with data from the Scottish Stroke Care Audit: national report, Billy Alexander, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:

“The Scottish Government and NHS leaders are failing Scottish stroke patients.

“The latest national stroke audit report shows Scotland lags six years behind the rest of the UK in offering thrombectomy to those who need it.

“The last time the thrombectomy rate in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined) was at the level of Scotland's current rate (1.9%) was before the pandemic (2019/20 when it was 1.8%).

“In 2025, 210 patients underwent thrombectomy, a game changing procedure used to remove a blood clot from the brain. This is less than the number treated in 2024 (217 patients) and represents 1.9% of all stroke patients in 2025.

“The most basic levels of stroke care show a similar pattern of not improving enough. The ‘stroke care bundle’ figure of 56.7% remains well below the level achieved in 2019, when 64% of patients received all eligible components of the bundle.

“The latest national stroke audit report itself is clear that continuing to make incremental changes to existing stroke pathways will not be enough. Despite the tireless work of stroke professionals across Scotland, many measures of stroke care have seen little significant improvement over recent years and unacceptable variation in access to treatment remains.

“Every stroke patient and their family knows the devastation stroke takes on lives.

“What is now needed is transformation, not simply further adjustment of the existing system. That means rethinking how stroke services are planned, staffed and delivered, with much stronger collaboration between NHS boards and greater regional and national coordination.

“Thrombectomy is perhaps the clearest example of why that transformation is needed. Scotland cannot deliver equitable, round-the-clock access to this life-changing treatment by continuing to work within service models that were never designed to provide it.

“Stroke teams cannot make this transformation alone. Scottish Government and NHS leaders now need to provide the leadership, workforce, investment and national planning required to turn the ambition of a 24/7 thrombectomy service into reality.”