Stroke consultant shortage 'hurtling towards crisis'
The UK is "hurtling towards a major stroke crisis" because of a shortage of specialist consultants, the Stroke Association charity has said.
New data - exclusively seen by this programme - shows 48% of hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have had at least one stroke consultant post unfilled for more than 12 months.
This is a rise of 8% on 2016.
It is a similar picture in Scotland, where figures suggest half of NHS Trusts have a shortage.
An NHS official said more people were "already surviving and thriving after stroke" and that it was "already looking to "modernise our stroke workforce".
Adam Eley reports.
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