Debate contribution: Thrombectomy Service
Debate contribution by Mr Patsy McGlone on .
- MLA
- Mr Patsy McGlone
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 10 February 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Opposition Business
- Heading
- Thrombectomy Service
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5435851
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the members of Stroke Association and NI Chest Heart and Stroke who are in the Public Gallery, particularly Clodagh Dunlop, who has been a true champion of and advocate for thrombectomy services. We need those services 24/7. As is the case in so many other areas, the other part of that equation is getting access to the services. I will speak about Michael, who took a stroke on Tuesday 27 January 2026. The first call was made to the emergency services at 11.30 pm. That was followed by at least two more calls. I made representations about the case, through the Minister's office. No first responders were available, and no ambulance was available. An ambulance eventually arrived at approximately 2.30 am. The ambulance left Michael's address in rural Tyrone at approximately 3.30 am and headed to Antrim Area Hospital, which is about 35 or 40 minutes away, so the estimated time of arrival was 4.15 am. The Ambulance Service's mean target for category 2 calls is 18 minutes. A recent analysis reported that fewer than one in five suspected stroke or heart attack calls were reached within that 18-minute target. In this case, the response time was more than three hours. When Michael was admitted to Antrim Area Hospital, the care that was provided by the stroke team was excellent: the family told me that and wanted to pay tribute to the staff at Antrim Area Hospital. However, he was admitted approximately five hours after he had taken the stroke. We all, including those in the Gallery, know how important those hours are for at least some form of recovery and treatment of the patient. Regrettably, Michael passed away on 2 February. I have the permission of the family to raise his case here. Access to an ambulance and to thrombectomy services are crucial for stroke victims. The deployment of extra resources to the Ambulance Service and first responders is complementary to the provision of thrombectomy services in the hospital, which are provided by those excellent staff. That, Minister, is a real-life example. In particular, it is an example of life in many of our rural areas. I conclude my remarks by saying of Michael: may God rest his gentle soul. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam séimh.
My sincere sympathies go to the McLernon and O'Neill families, and their extended families, on the passing of a true gentleman.
402 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 (0.93).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- 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 | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.93 | 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 |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.43 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.22 |
| Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice) | 0.18 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.17 |
| 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.
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