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<p>No formal assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the National Stroke
Strategy or of whether it has achieved its aims. However, we know that good progress
has been made on stroke in recent years, with mortality rates decreasing.</p><p> </p><p>Part
of this progress is undoubtedly due to improvements in the treatment of stroke, where
we have made great strides in several areas. The most recent data from the Sentinel
Stroke National Audit Project shows that:</p><p> </p><p>- Over 48% of patients receive
brain scanning within one hour of hospital arrival and over 90% within 12 hours;</p><p>
</p><p>- 84% of stroke patients spend more than 90% of their time in hospital on a
stroke unit;</p><p> </p><p>- Clot busting drugs give a certain cohort of stroke patients
a better chance of regaining their independence. 11% of stroke patients admitted to
hospital receive these drugs; and</p><p> </p><p>- Over 78% of patients are assessed
by a specialist stroke physician within 24 hours of admission, showing that stroke
services have made good progress in delivering 7 day specialist medical services.</p><p>
</p><p>However we know there is more to do and increases in levels of obesity and
an ageing population lead to new pressures.</p><p> </p><p>That is why a Cardiovascular
(CVD) Disease Outcomes Strategy was published in 2013. It sets out key actions for
commissioners and providers to help further improve outcomes in Coronary Heart Disease,
stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England hosts a CVD outcomes
collaborative which brings together the relevant National Clinical Directors, the
main relevant national charities, the National CVD Intelligence Network, Public Health
England and the Department of Health. This collaborative continues to coordinate delivery
of the work which was initiated in the CVD Outcomes Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>In February
this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published interventional
procedure guidance on mechanical clot retrieval (thrombectomy) for treating acute
ischaemic stroke. The guidance sets out that current evidence on the safety and efficacy
of this procedure is adequate to support its use, provided that standard arrangements
are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit. This guidance does not oblige
commissioners to commission thrombectomy nor hospitals to provide it.</p><p> </p><p>NHS
England is now undertaking work to inform a decision on whether this is a procedure
that should be made more widely available.</p>
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