Shortage of stroke specialists to meet the needs of patients in the UK

A report published by the British Association of Stroke Physicians (BASP) says that there is a ‘worrying’ shortfall of stroke specialists and the number needs to increase by a third to meet patient demands. The new analysis shows an additional 226 full-time stroke consultants (an increase of 33%) are required to meet the current needs of patients in the UK The growing deficit risks leaving UK stroke services unable to keep pace with advances in stroke care. Immediate access to procedures such as intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, which dissolve clots and restore blood flow to the brain, can significantly decrease