NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.

The National Health Service is also working to increase the delivery of 24/7 thrombectomy and increase thrombolysis and thrombectomy rates as a key intervention to support improved patient outcomes.

Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.

Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.

Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.

Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.

The Government continues to engage regularly with the devolved administrations on shared health priorities.

However, health, including thrombectomy services, is a devolved matter and responsibility for the organisation and delivery of health services rests with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Regional North East NHS commissioners are in active discussion with their services and a funded programme is in place to secure 24/7 access to thrombectomy this year. Services will open as soon as safe to do so.

NHS England continues to support the improvement of stroke pathways through Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks, including strengthening pre-hospital triage, inter-hospital transfer pathways, and emergency referral arrangements.

These actions are intended to reduce unwarranted variation and improve equitable access to mechanical thrombectomy for stroke patients, including those living in rural areas such as Somerset, while ensuring services remain clinically safe and sustainable.

Mechanical thrombectomy is an evidence-based treatment for eligible patients with large vessel occlusion stroke and is recognised as a national clinical priority.

The service is commissioned by NHS England as a specialised service, with aspects of planning and delivery supported locally through specialised commissioning delegated arrangements, working closely with integrated care boards and systems.

NHS England has assessed the need to improve access to mechanical thrombectomy through national clinical policy, audit, and service monitoring. NHS England routinely monitors access and outcomes through the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, which has demonstrated variation in access across England, including challenges related to geography and travel times.

In response to this assessed need, work continues to develop and strengthen services. In addition to NHS England’s aforementioned improvement of stroke pathways through Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks, work is also ongoing to support the expansion and sustainability of thrombectomy capable services where clinically and operationally appropriate, within the framework of specialised commissioning delegated services. For instance, 24/7 services to serve stroke patients are available at Bristol and Plymouth.

All thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision. Total recurrent national investment in mechanical thrombectomy in 2025/26 is in excess of £100 million.

A targeted approach to additional national investment 2026/27 was taken in recognition of disparities in historical investment due to provider readiness to achieve 24/7 provision.

This funding was targeted to the North East and Yorkshire, Midlands, and the South East regions to secure 24/7 access to service provision.

The approved funding was confirmed to regions in February 2026, to enable 24/7 service delivery from 1 April 2026.

NHS England has approved an additional £14.2 million of funding, targeted to areas where 24/7 access to thrombectomy is currently not available, in order to enable delivery from 1 April 2026.

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.

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 have supported comprehensive stroke centers in England to improve quality and reduce variation in thrombectomy delivery.

The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidenced based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service model sets out that all acute stroke patients should have rapid access to a stroke unit within four hours and receive an early multidisciplinary assessment.

The Department does not hold information on transfer times to thrombectomy units in the format requested. The proportion of patients that had access to a stroke unit within four hours has risen to 51.3%, from 47.7% in 2024.

Presently there are 24 Comprehensive Stroke Centres offering mechanical thrombectomy services in the NHS in England, covering six out of the seven NHS regions. NHS England has committed that all NHS regions in England will have access to 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy by April 2026.

The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidenced based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service model sets out that all acute stroke patients should have rapid access to a stroke unit within four hours and receive an early multidisciplinary assessment.

The Department does not hold information on transfer times to thrombectomy units in the format requested. The proportion of patients that had access to a stroke unit within four hours has risen to 51.3%, from 47.7% in 2024.

Presently there are 24 Comprehensive Stroke Centres offering mechanical thrombectomy services in the NHS in England, covering six out of the seven NHS regions. NHS England has committed that all NHS regions in England will have access to 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy by April 2026.

The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidenced based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service model sets out that all acute stroke patients should have rapid access to a stroke unit within four hours and receive an early multidisciplinary assessment.

The Department does not hold information on transfer times to thrombectomy units in the format requested. The proportion of patients that had access to a stroke unit within four hours has risen to 51.3%, from 47.7% in 2024.

Presently there are 24 Comprehensive Stroke Centres offering mechanical thrombectomy services in the NHS in England, covering six out of the seven NHS regions. NHS England has committed that all NHS regions in England will have access to 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy by April 2026.

Department ministers regularly have discussions with colleagues across Government on issues of cross-border interest. There have been no specific meetings held recently on thrombectomy services.

The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidenced based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service model sets out that all acute stroke patients should gain rapid access to a stroke unit within four hours and receive an early multidisciplinary assessment.