DOCTORS and charities have urged the Government to reverse cuts in funding for thrombectomy amid fears that it will leave hundreds of stroke patients avoidably disabled.

In a joint letter to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, more than 150 stroke clinicians have backed calls from Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and the Stroke Association warning that the spending cuts and recruitment freeze will backfire.

The Scottish Government had originally allocated £12.5 million for the NHS thrombectomy service in 2022/23, but this was reduced to £7.9m in the Emergency Budget Review in November.

The Scottish Government insists that this still represents an increase compared to the £6.6m spent on thrombectomy in 2021/22, but clinicians warn that the move will be a false economy.

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Thrombectomy is a highly specialised procedure that involves physically removing the blood clot in the brain which has caused a severe stroke.

The "extraordinarily effective" treatment is suitable for about 10 per cent of stroke patients and significantly reduces the risk of long-term disability.

The letter argues that the savings, which amount to less than 0.1% of Scotland’s total health budget, will create far greater costs as a result of longer hospital stays, community rehabilitation and social care services.

In 2020, the Scottish Government committed to rolling out a national thrombectomy service which would see around 800 stroke patients receive the procedure each year.

It is expected to save the health and social care system up to £47,000 per patient in the first five years – a total saving of £37.6m to the NHS.

To date, 150 procedures have been carried out in Dundee and Edinburgh, but the service has yet to be rolled out in Glasgow.

CHSS and the Stroke Association are jointly calling for the Scottish Government to commit to continuing to fund the service and recruit the staff necessary for a national rollout.

Jane-Claire Judson, CHSS chief executive, said: “CHSS and the Stroke Association are united in our plea to the Scottish Government to stand by its commitment to a national thrombectomy service.

“It is unthinkable that the Scottish Government will deny Scots a treatment we know will make a huge difference to their lives for the sake of a small short-term budget saving.

“Hundreds of Scots who have a stroke each year should be able to trust they will get the best possible medical attention and chance of making a full recovery.”

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John Watson, associate director for Scotland at the Stroke Association said:

“Thrombectomy saves brains, money and lives. It can change the course of recovery from stroke in an instant, and is one of the most effective medical interventions ever developed.

“We understand the financial pressure the Government is under, but to cut a service that improves patients’ lives while saving money would be a serious mistake. The current resource crisis should lead to thrombectomy being prioritised, not cut.

“That is why we, alongside CHSS and clinicians at the coal face, are calling on the Scottish Government to reinstate its funding for a national thrombectomy service.

“The financial savings of having this procedure are undeniably positive, but the potential outcome without it, could have devastating consequences for stroke patients, including severe disability or death.”

Dr Vera Cvoro, a consultant geriatrician, stroke physician, and honorary senior lecturer at Edinburgh University, said: “Thrombectomy is the single most effective treatment we have for stroke.

"Many patients that come to our hospitals with a stroke could benefit from this treatment that prevents disability.

“This can mean being able to walk again, talk again and even going back to work. We have the expertise to deliver such treatment and it should be available to all people living in Scotland.”

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Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The financial situation facing the Scottish Government is the most challenging since devolution and I and the Welsh Health Minister recently wrote to the UK Government calling for additional funding.

"Our Health snd Social Care budget is worth £650m less than when it was set last December due to the UK Government's mishandling of the economy and sky high inflation.

"We have had to make difficult decisions to reprioritise spending to make a record pay offer to our NHS staff to support them through the cost of living crisis and to avoid industrial action.

"Despite this, thrombectomy expenditure of £7.9 million is up by almost 20% on the last financial year and we have managed to increase funding available to health boards this year, despite the financial pressure.

"We’ve invested more than £16m delivering a thrombectomy service and we’ll continue to work with boards – and charities like CHSS and the Stroke Association, who I met last week - to further develop this."