Falkirk West MSP calls for 24/7 stroke treatment
Falkirk MSP Gary Bouse said it was ‘an honour’ to take a debate to Holyrood that marked World Stroke Day by calling on the Scottish Government to implement a pledge to provide life-saving treatment whenever it is needed.
The SNP MSP told the chamber that the debate was “deeply personal” for him as he had lost his mother 25 years ago to a type of stroke.
Mr Bouse – who will also be a Falkirk councillor until next May’s elections – said that discussions with his Conservative colleague, Councillor James Bundy, had helped convince him of the importance of providing a thrombectomy service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This standard procedure is used to remove blockages in arteries, but at the moment it is often not available in Scotland at weekends or after 8pm.
It was not available when James’ father, Anthony Bundy, suffered a fatal stroke at the age of 53 and since then the family have campaigned tirelessly for a comprehensive service to be on offer to anyone in Scotland, whenever it is needed.
Mr Bouse said: “Discussing the issue with my fellow Falkirk councillor, James Bundy, it became clear, through his family’s experience following the loss of his father, Anthony, just how important it is to develop 24-hour, seven-day-a-week access to life-saving thrombectomy services.”
He said that he was pleased that the commitment to a 24/7 thrombectomy service had been a cross-party manifesto pledge before the election, but he pressed the Scottish Government to provide more detail on its implementation.
He said: “I would welcome an update from the Scottish Government on progress, its commitment to delivery and the timescales for bringing the service to operation.”
During the debate, Maree Todd, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, said that she was expecting a report on the issue and planned to publish a national implementation road map by March 2027, with implementation from April 2027.
Following the debate, Cllr Bundy and his family issued a joint statement with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and The Stroke Association, thanking Mr Bouse for speaking so passionately about the issue and MSPs across the chamber for contributing to the debate.
They said: “This commitment offers real hope for the future of stroke care in Scotland.
“It is about more than extending a service; it is centred on reducing inequalities, improving outcomes and giving more people the best possible chance of surviving and recovering from stroke.
“Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, the Stroke Association and the Bundy family have long called for equitable access to this life-changing treatment, working alongside people affected by stroke, their families and clinicians.
“James Bundy, whose family’s experience of stroke, including the loss of his father, Anthony Bundy, aged 53, has helped bring the issue of equitable access to thrombectomy to the forefront of public and political debate.
“We look forward to seeing the detail of the roadmap and continuing to work constructively with the Scottish Government and NHS partners to ensure these commitments are translated into meaningful improvements for people affected by stroke across Scotland.”