Coroner warns of 9-to-5 stroke service risk

Life-saving stroke treatment was unavailable beyond 17:00, the assistant coroner warned

People are at risk of dying owing to some stroke services only being available between 09:00 and 17:00, an assistant coroner said.

Thomas Crookes, who covers the Newcastle and North Tyneside area, made the warning after Keith Reynolds died from a stroke last November.

An inquest heard how a service to remove a blood clot from an artery through a catheter was unavailable in the region outside of those hours due to a lack of available neuroradiologists.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH) offered its condolences to Mr Reynolds' family and said it would fully consider and respond to the recommendations.

In a prevention of future deaths report, Mr Crookes said: "I am told that this issue is listed on the NUTH's risk register and that a business plan has been submitted to NHS England in relation to funding for additional clinicians.

"However, at the present time, should patients currently require a mechanical thrombectomy outside of the hours of 09:00 to 17:00, such a service would not be available to them and this could result in their death despite this potentially being preventable were such a service available."

The inquest highlighted the lack of a service, but concluded Mr Reynolds died from natural causes and suffered complications from a surgical procedure.

At one point during his treatment he could have had a mechanical thrombectomy, but it was not carried out because it was out of hours.

However, doctors ruled the procedure "would not have been viable in any case" because of the severity of Mr Reynolds' stroke.

NHS England has been approached for comment.

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