A doctor has hit back at claims a hospital has the worst record for the treatment of stroke victims in Yorkshire.

Quality of care was of such a standard at Airedale General Hospital, Steeton, it was attracting patients from outside the catchment area, he said.

Dr Andrew Catto, consultant physician in stroke medicine at Airedale, was responding to research by the Healthcare Commission.

It claimed patients in Airedale received the poorest care in Yorkshire.

By comparison, the survey revealed nine in ten patients in Bradford were treated on a dedicated stroke unit, and 91 per cent of patients in Bradford were checked for swallowing disorders.

The findings also showed about 8,000 more people suffered a stroke in Yorkshire than the national average.

Dr Catto said the formula used to measure the levels hid the quality of care given to patients in Airedale.

"Patient satisfaction surveys consistently give us positive feedback about our services," he said.

"Recently we have seen an increase in the number of referrals to our stroke clinic from outside our area which demonstrates the confidence of the GPs.

"We do recognise there is always room for improvement and our team had already identified ways in which we could ensure our processes for the measurement of stroke would benefit all our patients."

Across the country the study revealed hundreds of stroke patients could be dying needlessly because of a postcode lottery for specialist care.

It discovered that more than a third of people suffering a stroke did not receive treatment on a stroke unit, where their prospects were better.

Joe Korner, of the Stroke Association, said: "Stroke units can halve your chance of dying from a stroke so it is a scandal that getting treatment on one is a matter of luck on your postcode."

Tony Rudd, chairman of the Intercollegiate Stroke Net-work, said there had been some improvements but still too many patients were receiving substantial care. The study covered 224 units.