Faster stroke care with new video triage
A national pilot using real-time video between ambulance crews and stroke specialists is transforming stroke care in England, cutting delays, boosting triage accuracy and improving patient outcomes, according to an evaluation by Health Innovation South West.
The programme, known as Stroke Prehospital Video Triage (PVT), enables ambulance crews to video-call stroke specialists from the patient’s location, allowing faster and more accurate triage of suspected stroke patients before hospital arrival.
Health Innovation South West led the national independent evaluation of the Stroke PVT pilot, revealing powerful impacts on both patient outcomes and frontline clinical practice across nine NHS pilot sites, that align with the government’s plan to shift the NHS from analogue to digital care.
Over 800 patients were triaged for a suspected stroke using video, resulting in faster imaging and treatment. One site reduced the time to transfer by 90 minutes for urgent thrombectomy cases.
“We’re getting patients to the care they need sooner,” said a paramedic involved in the pilot. “It improves confidence, reduces delays and gives us better information to treat patients right away. It’s direct patient care, improved.”
Every year, over 100,000 people in the UK experience a stroke. It’s a leading cause of disability and death, costing the NHS and social care £8.6 billion annually. With the number of people living with stroke effects expected to reach 2.1 million by 2035, innovative triage and treatment pathways are essential.
Around two-thirds of stroke patients are brought to hospital by ambulance, where stroke is typically assessed via the Face Arms Speech Time (FAST) test which can lead to unnecessary hospital transportation for non-stroke cases. PVT improves the accuracy of triage, ensuring patients get to the right care, faster.
The implementation and evaluation of this pilot were funded by NHS England. Ambulance services and stroke units across nine pilot sites took park, including London, Greater Manchester and Wessex.
Our evaluation mapped local approaches and captured learning. We found that context, collaboration and technology readiness played key roles in the success of PVT. Our evaluation also highlighted the importance of clinical engagement, training, and robust digital infrastructure to deliver sustainable, round-the-clock video triage.
NHS England now plans to expand the PVT model nationally, guided by our evidence-based recommendations.
Read more in our case study.
