A Northern Ireland man's new documentary has shone a light on the unacceptable part time state of thrombectomy services here.
Thrombectomy: Restoring Life, directed by Belfast Live videographer Harry Bateman tells the Co Armagh family's story after his father had a stroke in 2019 in a bid to emphasise the urgent need for a 24/7 thrombectomy service in Northern Ireland.
The film also features stroke survivors, politicians, campaigners, and doctors, alongside Stroke Association Directors and experts in practice and policy. The idea first came around when Harry received a Fellowship from the Social Change Initiative.
Thrombectomy is a game-changing treatment which removes the blood clot after someone has a stroke. 1.9 million brain cells are lost every minute after a stroke, so it's a very time sensitive procedure and the quicker someone receives it the better chance they have of making a good recovery.
The procedure can save brain function, reduce disability, is cost-effective for long-term care and rehabilitation and ultimately change lives. Yet around 100 patients each year in Northern Ireland are missing out as it isn’t available 24/7 so the Stroke Association NI is campaigning to improve access to thrombectomy.
Currently, it's only available between 8am and 6pm, so anyone admitted to hospital outside these hours would have to wait until the following morning – which can make a huge difference to the impact of their stroke and recovery.
In May 2019, Harry’s father William had a stroke when he was home alone. He was found collapsed and unresponsive in the hallway of the family home several hours later. The family called an ambulance, and William was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital.
William received thrombolysis, a clot-busting drug, and after some time, the doctor recommended that he should be transferred to Royal Victoria Hospital. Once at the Royal Victoria Hospital, a team of doctors and surgeons came in out-of-hours to perform William’s thrombectomy at around 11pm.
Dad-of-two Harry, 34, admitted that before 2019, he had never heard of a thrombectomy: “Since then, the term ‘thrombectomy’ has remained at the forefront of my mind. I credit this procedure with saving my father's life after he had a stroke.
“My dad has been left partially disabled down one side of his body and has remained mostly non-verbal. He is still very much a huge personality to his family and friends, a loving husband, father and grandad.
“We are extremely grateful to the medical professionals that took care of him. We dread to think what the outcome might have been had my dad not received a thrombectomy within the timeframe that he did.
“Strokes can happen to anyone, at any time. I hope that through telling the story of my father's journey, I will be able to help shed light on this incredible procedure, and why it has never been more important to make thrombectomy available in Northern Ireland 24/7.”
Clodagh Dunlop, from Magherafelt, features in the documentary. Clodagh suffered a brain stem stroke which initially left her with locked-in syndrome in April 2015. She was completely paralysed and she was only able to communicate by using her eyes.
She said: “The documentary is a powerful narrative about thrombectomy. I am 10 years post stroke on 6 April 2025. I had a thrombectomy which saved my life, but as my stroke was out of hours, I now live with significant physical disabilities due to thrombectomy only being available 8am-6pm in Northern Ireland.
“Timely intervention with thrombectomy saves lives and prevents disabilities. I hope this documentary adds to the momentum of voices asking for thrombectomy to be available 24/7 in Northern Ireland.”
Alasdair O’Hara, Northern Ireland Director at the Stroke Association, said: “It’s impossible to watch this documentary without marvelling at the power of thrombectomy and the impact this game changing stroke procedure has had on the stroke survivors interviewed.
“The potential for this procedure to save brains, save money and save lives is there for all to see. Time and again we hear stroke survivors speak about how lucky they were to receive a thrombectomy but unfortunately, we know that there are many stroke survivors who miss out.
“It shouldn’t be down to luck – thrombectomy should be available as a routine treatment for every patient who needs it, no matter when or where they have their stroke.
“We know staff in the Royal and stroke teams throughout NI have worked hard to build the thrombectomy service. It’s time to get behind these efforts and invest in thrombectomy to make sure that no one misses out on a vital treatment for the medical emergency that is a stroke.
“Well done to Harry and Toast City Productions for shining a light on the ongoing failure to move thrombectomy services to a 24/7 service.”
In a statement, the Department of Health says the Health Minister remains committed to the establishment of a 24/7 thrombectomy service and he deeply regrets that financial challenges imposed on the Department’s budget mean that he is currently unable to allocate the required additional funding to support this.
A DoH spokesperson added: "It is estimated that just over £5 million recurrent funding is required to support the priorities in respect of thrombolysis and thrombectomy. The Minister is focused on ensuring that as many people as possible benefit from the thrombectomy service within its current hours of operation.
"Significant progress has been made in recent years. In 2020, thrombectomy services were extended from five to seven days a week. Since then, the number of patients benefiting from the procedure has increased, rising from 131 in 2020 to 156 in 2024. Despite not yet operating on a 24/7 basis, the thrombectomy rate in NI still compares favourably with other parts of the UK.
"It is also important to note that progress has been made against a range of the priorities set out in the Stroke Action Plan. This includes the development of a regional model for TIA (mini-stroke) and the introduction of Artificial Intelligence software in seven hospitals to assist in the interpretation of scans and the development of a specification for rehabilitation and long-term support.
"In addition, the Department continues to make progress to identify the optimal configuration for hyperacute stroke services and a project lead to undertake a stroke workforce review has now been appointed."
You can watch the documentary here - Thrombectomy: Restoring Life | Stroke Association. The Stroke Association supports stroke survivors and their families by phone, at home, and in the community. Find out more at http://stroke.org.uk/northern-ireland.
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