NHS is urged to increase by one third the number of stroke specialists to tackle a "serious deficit"

A new report indicates that the number of full-time consultants in the NHS needs to increase by a third to meet the current needs of UK patients.1

The report of the British Association of Stroke Physicians (BASP) identifies a "serious lack" of specialists, leaving services unable to keep pace with advances in medicine and leaving thousands of patients waiting for life-saving treatments. It recommends 226 full-time additional stroke consultants, which represents a 33% increase over the current 676 estimates.

Having enough staff in place will ensure immediate patient access to procedures …