The Round 3 Report showed that there continued to be an increase in the percentage of cases being submitted to this audit in England compared to the number recorded in Hospital Episode Statistics, from 67% round 1, 72% in round 2, 81% in round 3. This was submitted from 96% of eligible trusts in England and 97% of trusts overall in the UK.
The National Stroke Strategy’s 10-year target of 48 hours between symptom and surgery was set in 2007, and the current National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines recommend 14 days.
The key delays in the pathway between initial symptom and surgery were continuing to decrease, and in round 3 the median number of days between symptom and surgery was 21 days, compared with 28 days in round 2.
In round 4 only 2% of patients had surgery within 48 hours and 40% within 14 days.
In round 4 the 30-day mortality was 0.8% and 3% of patients with follow-up had a stroke.