Debate contribution: Thrombectomy Service
Debate contribution by Miss Órlaithí Flynn on .
- MLA
- Miss Órlaithí Flynn
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 10 February 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Opposition Business
- Heading
- Thrombectomy Service
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5435823
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion because, at its heart, it is about saving lives, improving recovery outcomes and ending unacceptable inequality in access to stroke care. In June 2022, the stroke action plan contained a commitment to the delivery of a 24/7 thrombectomy service by the end of 2024. That was not a vague aspiration but a policy commitment. We are now past that deadline, and access to that treatment still depends on the time of day that a person has a stroke. To put that reality plainly, as Colin and others have outlined, a person who has a severe stroke at 2.00 pm may recover their independence while the same person with the same stroke at 2.00 am may not. That is the human consequence of having an 8.00 am-to-5.00 pm service. We are often told that funding is the barrier, but the figures also make it clear that the estimated cost of moving to 24/7 provision is just over £5 million recurrently, a modest sum when set against the lifelong costs of disability, residential care and lost independence when someone's treatment is delayed or denied. It is not simply a question of affordability; it is a question of having to make it a priority. As Alan Robinson pointed out, it is important to note that, despite not having a 24/7 service, thrombectomy rates here are higher than those in England, Scotland and Wales. That is a credit to the skill and commitment of our staff, but it underlines how much more could be achieved if access was based on need rather than limited hours. There is also a growing issue of fairness. England has committed to full 24/7 thrombectomy access by April 2026. Patients here are entitled to ask why their access to care should depend on where they live rather than on clinical need.
Yes, I will.
I thank the Member for the intervention. The mover of the motion spoke about that in some detail. There are options there that we can look at, and we should definitely explore them. I have no doubt that the Minister will be happy to do that, and he might update us when he responds to the debate. The reset plan speaks about high-impact, outcome-focused reform. Few interventions meet that test as clearly as thrombectomy through better survival, better outcomes and reduced long-term pressure on the Health and Social Care system. Thrombectomy is one of the rare interventions that is clinically transformative and economically rational at the same time. There is also an uncomfortable truth here about equality of access. A stroke does not respect geography or time of day, but our service does. If you live closer to Belfast or your stroke happens during daytime hours, your chances are better. That is not a health service designed around need; it is one designed around convenience. Sinn Féin believes that health reform must be patient-centred not system-centred. The reset plan speaks about outcomes, prevention and reducing long-term demand, yet we continue to delay one of the clearest examples of that approach in action. Sinn Féin recognises the immense pressures facing the health system and the health workforce. I think that everyone in the Chamber recognises that, and the Minister has repeatedly outlined the budgetary constraints on the Department. However, transformation cannot be delayed endlessly. Therefore, the Assembly is right to call today on the Department and the Minister to move beyond commitment and, hopefully, into delivery. The Member from the Minister's party who spoke previously, Alan, obviously outlined all the progress that we have seen from Robin Swann and others over previous years. That is all so welcome, and we have to celebrate all the improvements that have been made, because, without doubt, they have saved lives and helped many people. However, we have to, if we can, push this issue forward to get a 24/7 service.
652 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.97).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.97 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.54 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.44 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.