Stroke surgery treatment fails to meet Nice guideline’s 14-day target

A report from the Royal College of Surgeons and the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland found 44 per cent of people who need neck artery surgery to prevent strokes are not treated within the two-week timeframe set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

While access is improving, the Nice guidelines have been in place since July 2008.

A Government National Stroke Strategy published in 2007 set an even shorted limit – saying patients should only wait 48 hours from having symptoms to undergoing an operation.

Symptoms of a threatened stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) – often called a “mini stroke” – temporarily disrupt the blood supply to part of the brain.

Patients are at increased risk of a full stroke and those who have significant narrowing of the carotid artery are at high risk of having a more severe stroke, hence the need for urgent surgery.

The Carotid Endarterectomy Audit, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, found some NHS hospitals met the 14-day Nice target.

In a quarter of missed target cases, patients were too slow to seek medical attention.