Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of training more health professionals in thrombectomy treatments.

No central assessment has been made as it is expected that assessments of staff numbers by profession are undertaken at a local system level. The General Medical Council (GMC) is working with the Royal College of Radiologists to develop a medical credential for doctors in interventional neuroradiology (acute stroke), which addresses mechanical thrombectomy. The GMC and the Royal College are ensuring the credential has the right scope to meet the needs of health services.

Health Education England (HEE) is reviewing the skills and capabilities required for safe stroke care, including those in existing roles and additional roles. HEE is also working at a local level to address workforce challenges in stroke care through training resources.