A stroke is a serious life-threatening condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. When someone has a stroke, it is estimated they may be losing around 2 million brain cells a minute – so urgent treatment is essential.

As stroke clinicians, we often use the phrase “time is brain” – the sooner a person receives treatment, the less damage is likely to happen.

In recent years the NHS has made significant progress in implementing new technologies that can help us to streamline and enhance our care pathways to ensure we can deliver faster diagnosis and treatment.

For instance, the introduction of video triage calls between ambulance crews and stroke specialists is enabling us to assess patients before they’ve even arrived at hospital and prepare in advance for any scans or treatments they may need.

More recently, the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) decision support tools is another example of how new technology is being deployed alongside clinical expertise to improve outcomes for patients.

The AI software can significantly reduce the time it takes to process and interpret brain scans, supporting clinicians to make faster treatment decisions, which in turn enables patients to receive potentially lifesaving treatments such as thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy earlier, improving their chances of a better outcome.

An early-stage analysis of this AI technology has demonstrated an association with a reduction in the time between someone presenting with a stroke and receiving treatment by more than 60 minutes and it is correlated with a tripling in the number of stroke patients recovering with no or only slight disability – defined as achieving functional independence – from 16% to 48%.

Over the past few years, NHS England has implemented a rapid national rollout of AI, as part of a national optimal stroke imaging pathway, to stroke services across England. Starting with just a handful of units in 2019, as of Summer 2024, every stroke centre in England (107 sites in total) is now utilising the technology meaning AI is already playing an important role in improving the care of around 80,000 people who have a stroke in England every year.

To bring to life the impact this is having for our patients, earlier this year we invited a camera to shadow myself and colleagues during a shift at the acute stroke unit at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

One of the patients seen in the film is 55-year-old Shawn Theoff from Canterbury. A retired postman, Shawn had suffered a stroke a few years ago but was a keen runner and gym goer and had just returned from holiday when he suddenly experienced the symptoms of a stroke again. Recognising some of the key signs – an inability to raise his arm and slurred speech – his brother urgently called 999 on his behalf.

Upon arrival, Shawn was immediately taken to have a brain scan and, thanks to AI decision support tools, our team were rapidly able to diagnose his stroke and administer clot busting intravenous medication to dissolve the blood clot in his brain.

This timely access to treatment meant that Shawn was able to regain movement and sensation quickly. He was taken to the acute stroke unit at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital where he spent less than 48hrs before returning home to recover.

Shawn’s experience and the speed of his recovery brings to life the remarkable difference timely treatment can make following a stroke. It also demonstrates the critical role that technology is playing in supporting our clinical experts to deliver the very best care for people like Shawn right across the country.

You can watch the film below:

How artificial intelligence is helping to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients