Thousands 'miss out on stroke treatment'
About 9,000 stroke patients a year are missing out on a treatment that can prevent disability following a stroke, say UK experts.
Clot retrieval can restore blood flow to the brain, preventing some lasting damage, but currently only 600 patients a year get this therapy, they estimate.
A national stroke audit reveals part of the problem is a lack of skilled staff to do the procedure.
NHS England says stroke patients are receiving high quality care.
During a stroke, the blood supplying vital parts of the brain is interrupted.
The most common reason is a clot blocking a major blood vessel in the head, although some strokes are caused by a bleed.
The longer a part of the brain is starved of blood, the more likely lasting damage - such as paralysis and speech problems - will occur.
