Closed petition Fund a stroke screening programme using carotid artery scans

Closed on 30 May 2024

We want the Government to fund a stroke screening programme, using carotid ultrasound scans to identify risk factors such as narrowing or blockages in the arteries, that will be available to healthy adults in England.

Stroke occurs more than 100,000 times per year in the UK, that’s 1 every 5 minutes. An ultrasound scan can quickly visualise the main neck arteries and help assess a person's risk of stroke. Currently, carotid scans are often only offered after someone has had a stroke.

Ischemic strokes, the most common type of stroke, are often caused after arteries in the neck become narrowed, limiting normal blood flow to the brain.

The NHS provides only 1 all gender healthy adult screening (bowel cancer). We believe that lifestyle data alone is not enough action for strokes. Managing one stroke survivor in hospital could cost the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds. We want to save lives and start proactive screening before stroke strikes.