Use of technology such as prehospital video triage (PVT) could transform stroke care and boost survival rates of the UK’s fourth leading cause of death, according to the Stroke Association’s new report which comes ahead of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

The Stroke Association has launched its report called Unlocking potential: a bold vision for stroke care in England.

The charity’s report highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in stroke care across England, revealing stark inequalities in access to life-changing treatments. It sets out key actions across the stroke pathway, which could feed into the Government’s upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, to ensure all stroke patients get effective prevention, treatment and care, wherever they live.

The report, backed by Uma Kumaran MP, spotlights innovative models and treatment plans which – if made universally available to all stroke patients - could edge closer to providing a gold standard of care for cardiovascular disease, including stroke. It would also bring the Government closer to its goal of reducing stroke and cardiovascular deaths by 25% by 2035.

Prehospital video triage (PVT) connects ambulance teams on the road with hospital-based stroke specialists via a video call to assess a patient’s condition and collectively diagnose stroke. This information helps teams decide which hospital a patient should be taken to should they need specialist stroke care. Tests to confirm stroke, including CT or MRI scans, can then be prepared for arrival as well as timely treatment and care in a stroke unit.

About the Stroke Association

Over 90,000 people survive a stroke every year in the UK, but surviving a stroke is just the start of a long and gruelling recovery journey.
Mums, dads, grandparents, young people, even children – anyone can have a stroke, and its impact is traumatic. 
Brain damage, caused by a stroke, can leave survivors unable to move, see, speak or even swallow.   
{B}The Stroke Association is the only charity in the UK providing life-long support for all stroke survivors and their families. We provide tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year, fund vital scientific research, and campaign to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke.
Anyone affected by stroke can visit stroke.org.uk or call our dedicated Stroke Support Helpline on 0303 3033 100 for information, guidance or a chat when times are tough.
Following the initial pilots in East Kent and North Central London in 2020, PVT has been trialed in 16 locations across England including London, Sussex, Manchester, and East Midlands. Results found that it successfully got patients to the right place first time – whether that be a stroke unit, A&E or at home for those hadn’t had a stroke and didn’t need to go to hospital. With fewer suspected stroke patients being taken to stroke units, capacity was freed up to treat those who needed it. Feedback from patients and their loved ones has also been positive.

Speedy treatment for stroke is vital as lifechanging procedures, including thrombectomy and thrombolysis, work best the sooner they have administered. 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke is left untreated, increasing the risk of serious long-term disability and death.

Yet, due to a combination of NHS pressures and workforce shortages, these timeframes are often missed - only 3.9% of eligible stroke patients had a thrombectomy in 2023/24 against NHS England’s target of 10% by 2027/28. In addition, only 46% were admitted to a stroke unit within four hours of arriving at hospital, which further reduces the treatment window and the patient’s chances of recovery.

The Stroke Association is urging the Government to ensure lifechanging advancements, such as PVT, reach more patients. The charity is calling for this innovation to be universally adopted as part of a wider strategy for cardiovascular disease within the 10 Year Health Plan. This will help ensure more stroke survivors leave hospital on their feet rather than in a wheelchair.

The 10 Year Health Plan is an extraordinary opportunity to transform healthcare and the many vital aspects which impact on the lives of stroke patients. Stroke rates keep rising, particularly amongst younger people, yet NHS pressures and deep inequalities in care across the country are failing patients.

The Stroke Association supports thousands of patients and their loved ones every year, so we know first-hand the challenges that stroke survivors face due to the unfair and avoidable inequalities that continue to blight stroke care. Innovations such as PVT must be extended to ensure that every stroke survivor benefits from the incredible medical and digital advances we now have.

Through clear steps in the 10 Year Health Plan, we’re calling on the Government to show the conviction and leadership needed to reset cardiovascular care and put it on a trajectory toward equity, innovation, and excellence across the country.

90% of strokes are preventable and stroke used to be the country’s second leading cause of death. Following the Government’s 2007 stroke strategy,4 there was a 46% reduction in mortality from 1990 to 2010.5 To further reduce disability and stroke deaths by 25% by 2035, the Stroke Association’s report calls for:

A fully funded prevention plan looking at risk factors for stroke, and their overlap with other conditions including heart attack and dementia. This includes regular blood pressure checks and encouraging those over 40 in England and Wales to attend NHS Health Checks every five years
Universal 24/7 access to acute stroke treatments, including thrombectomy and thrombolysis
Life-after-stroke community care so that every stroke survivor has bespoke support when they leave hospital. This must include a six-month review to assess ongoing individual needs – in 2023/24 only 37% of stroke survivors had this

Uma Kumaran, MP for Stratford and Bow, is supporting the Stroke Association following her husband Jacob’s stroke last July. She said: “It was a huge and heartbreaking shock when Jacob - a healthy 39-year-old – had a stroke. It was one of the most difficult periods of our lives as we were thrown into a world of uncertainty. We’re grateful and thankful that he had the benefit of fantastic treatment which enabled his recovery.

“But not everyone who has a stroke is that fortunate. 240 people have a stroke every day and many will die or be left with lifelong disabilities which make it hard to walk, talk or even breathe. The Stroke Association's report sets out clear ways to ensure more people affected by stroke live mentally and physically well and I look forward to supporting and championing their work.”

The Stroke Association supports stroke survivors and their families by phone, at home, and in the community. Find out more at www.stroke.org.uk