THE NHS is failing stroke patients due to pressures on the health service and “deep inequalities in care,” with some facing a postcode lottery for life-saving treatment, according to a new report.

The Stroke Association is calling for urgent government action to address the delays, including a wider rollout of video technology, PVT, that allows specialists to diagnose patients before they arrive at a hospital.

The report highlights that long ambulance waits, handover delays and limited access to imaging for diagnostic testing are preventing patients from receiving vital, time-sensitive treatment.