大象传媒

The UK is "hurtling towards a major stroke crisis" because of a shortage of specialist consultants, the Stroke Association charity has said.

New data - exclusively seen by this programme - shows 48% of hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have had at least one stroke consultant post unfilled for more than 12 months.

This is a rise of 8% on 2016.

It is a similar picture in Scotland, where figures suggest half of NHS Trusts have a shortage.

An NHS official said more people were "already surviving and thriving after stroke" and that it was "already looking to "modernise our stroke workforce".

Adam Eley reports.