Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health to detail any measures being taken to deliver 24-hour access to thrombectomy services.
Minister of Health: I can confirm that expanding the regional thrombectomy service to 24/7 remains a key priority for Northern Ireland. However, there are significant challenges that need to be addressed to achieve this goal. These include the need for substantial investment and the recruitment of specialist staff within a limited workforce pool. Despite these challenges, my department is committed to ensuring that as many people as possible benefit from the current thrombectomy services within the existing operational hours.
Additionally, my department has published the Reshaping Stroke Care Stroke Action Plan, which outlines priority areas to improve stroke services. This includes the development of a costed model to expand thrombectomy services to 24/7 and a revised thrombectomy repatriation protocol. Artificial Intelligence software has also been rolled out in six hospitals to support clinical decision-making, which is a step towards enhancing the efficiency and reach of stroke care services.
While we are not yet in a position to provide a 24/7 thrombectomy service due to budget constraints, these measures are part of our ongoing efforts to improve and eventually expand the service availability.
ENDS
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