To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to roll out stroke thrombectomy services on a 24/7 basis across the country. (S6O-04659)

The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainable expansion of the thrombectomy service. Work is on-going to align the governance and delivery of thrombectomy with similar national programmes and to establish the most effective means of achieving that with national health service colleagues.

Our focus remains on maximising access and ensuring that as many people as possible can benefit from thrombectomy. Procurement for a national artificial intelligence imaging tool is under way. Once that is implemented, it will support increased access to that important procedure.

I thank the minister for her response, but stroke care in Scotland is in crisis.

The system failed Anthony Bundy. He was failed by the FAST—face, arms, speech, time—test, by the lack of 24/7 thrombectomy services and by a 17-hour wait for a procedure that works only if delivered quickly. That is indefensible.

Scotland does not have a modern stroke service; we have a part-time system that is costing lives. Will the Government commit to a nationwide 24/7 thrombectomy roll-out, with the required staff and infrastructure, and will it work with the Bundy family to deliver real change?

I recognise the work that Stephen Kerr has been doing with the Bundy family, whom I had the privilege of meeting last year to listen to their experience.

As a result of that, I have had numerous conversations with colleagues. I have also visited the NHS Lothian thrombectomy hub, where I learned at first hand how the east of Scotland thrombectomy service works and discussed with clinical and service management the issues of sustainable delivery, staffing levels and equity of access.

As I said in my first response, work is on-going to establish the most effective means of further expanding access to thrombectomy to maximise the number of patients who are able to benefit from the treatment.