Shortage of stroke doctors sparks concern
Hospitals in the West Midlands are running short of specialist stroke doctors, leading to warnings lives could be at risk.
The condition is among the biggest killers in the UK but analysis shows around half of hospitals do not have enough specialists.
Experts say that if hospitals lack specialists it could lead to key decisions on patient treatment being delayed.
There is at least one unfilled stroke consultant post at each of the NHS trusts which run Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital, Russells Hall in Dudley, Sandwell Hospital, and Telford's Princess Royal, data showed.
The Stroke Association said Britain is "hurtling" towards a major stroke crisis, unless the NHS can recruit specialist medics.
The charity highlighted the new findings from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme's Acute Organisational Audit Report.
According to these figures, 48 per cent of all hospitals have had vacant stroke consultant posts unfilled for at least a year, up from 40 per cent in 2016 and 26 per cent in 2014.
Stroke Association chief executive Juliet Bouverie said: "Unless these workforce issues are urgently addressed, we are hurtling our way to a major stroke crisis in the next few years.
"The lack of senior doctors and also of trainees to fill these gaps is worsening and is a ticking time-bomb for an already stretched health service.
"The stroke skills gap threatens the sustainability of many services and puts increased pressure on local hospitals.
"There are over 100,000 strokes every year in the UK and this is estimated to rise to 150,000 over the next five years which will increase the pressure on stroke wards further."
