AI Boosts Stroke Recovery

An AI tool analysing brain scans has been implemented across all 107 stroke centres in England, improving patient outcomes. The technology can identify the type and severity of a stroke in approximately one minute, allowing doctors to administer appropriate treatments faster. The AI has reduced the average time between a patient's arrival at the hospital and the start of treatment by an hour, from 140 minutes to 79 minutes.

Early analysis indicates the AI has tripled the proportion of patients recovering with no or only slight disability, increasing it from 16% to 48%. This improvement is defined as patients achieving functional independence. The AI interprets brain scans in real-time, supporting doctors and NHS staff in making quicker, more informed decisions. It is estimated that a patient loses around 2 million brain cells per minute during a stroke, making rapid diagnosis and treatment critical.

It is estimated that the tool could transform care for the 80,000 people who have a stroke in England each year. The UK government co-founded an international network of health regulators focusing on AI implementation in June, aiming to accelerate the safe integration of trusted AI tools into clinical settings nationwide.