An official update has been issued over NHS stroke care. Stroke patients need to be treated as soon as possible to avoidlong-lasting or permanent damage. One of the more common treatments is known as a thrombectomy, a surgical procedure that physically removes large blood clots andrestores blood flowto the brain.

Thrombectomies usually need to be done within hours of the stroke symptoms first starting, but there’s only a few centres in England that provide the procedure and even fewer offer it around the clock. Some of these centres are only open on weekdays or restricted hours.

However, the Department for Health and Social Care says that NHS England is set to provide 24/7 access to thrombectomies across England by April 2026. The information was issued as MP Jim Shannon questioned the DHSC about what steps have been taken to rollout this service.

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Minister of State for DHSC Karin Smyth responded to say: “NHS England is working to increase the size of the workforce trained to deliver thrombectomy so that 24/7 access is available across England by April 2026.

“To achieve this NHS England is working with the General Medical Council in approving a credential to support neuroradiologists to conduct thrombectomy and increase the number of thrombectomies that can be delivered.

“In addition, NHS England’s National Medical Director and National Clinical Director for Stroke has supported comprehensive stroke centers in England to improve quality and reduce variation in thrombectomy delivery.”

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. It can affect things like speech and movement, and if it’s not treated in time it can cause serious disability or become life-threatening.

According to the Stroke Association, prompt access to a thrombectomy can make a “significant difference” to recovering from a stroke. The procedure helps reduce brain damage by quickly restoring blood flow to the brain, lowering the chance of serious disability in the process.

Thrombectomies are only beneficial for about one in 10 stroke patients and the procedure won’t be suitable for everyone. Doctors will need to take into account the location of the blood clot, the type of stroke you are experiencing and how long it’s been since symptoms started.

The Stroke Association explained that the limited thrombectomy availability in England is due to a lack of trained specialists and specialist equipment needed for the procedure. In a thrombectomy, a wire is carefully inserted into a blood vessel in your groin and moves up to your brain to pull the blood clot out. It’s most effective when done within a few hours of the stroke symptoms starting but can be done up to 24 hours after the stroke if your doctor believes you could benefit from it.

Thrombectomies are specifically used for clots that are too large to be broken down by clot-busting medication, which is usually the first treatment option for strokes caused by blood clots.

Strokescaused by blood clots are called ischaemic strokes but this isn’t the cause of all strokes. Haemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain and thrombectomies cannot be used to treat this type of stroke.