Britain has the worst stroke care in Europe, says professor

Studies show that British stroke victims are twice as likely to die as those in countries such as France and Germany - even though the NHS spends more on care than many of its neighbours.

Professor Hugh Markus, of the University of London, said the fault lies with the Government for wasting NHS resources and for not employing enough specialist staff.

Every year 150,000 people in Britain have a stroke. It is the third most common cause of death, accounting for more than 60,000 fatalities a year.

But Professor Markus said a shortage of brain scanners meant that while victims in most European countries are scanned at the earliest opportunity, many in the UK wait as long as 24 hours.

One of the greatest failings of UK stroke care was getting treatment to patients in time, he said.

Many strokes can be treated by giving anticlotting drugs within three hours, a technique known as thrombolysis.

In most western European countries, the U.S., Canada and Australia, up to 30 per cent of patients receive thrombolysis. But currently fewer than 1 per cent of UK patients receive the treatment.

Professor Markus told the British Medical Journal: "A major challenge is to change the perception of stroke among health professionals and the public, so that stroke is viewed as a condition that requires emergency action."

Joe Korner, of the Stroke Association, said: "It is unacceptable that at the present time, for people who have a stroke in the UK, their prospects are far bleaker than in other countries.

"It is vital stroke gets the priority and investment it needs."

Two years ago the National Audit Office said that if care was better organised, 550 deaths could be avoided every year and 1,700 more patients would recover fully.

The Government has announced plans to improve care by creating specialist units.

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "In the last ten years, the treatment of stroke has progressed rapidly - more patients than ever before are being seen by specialists, numbers of deaths are falling, and advancing medical understanding gives every prospect for a real revolution in treatment."