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24/03/2004
Health department is winning war on heart disease, says report
Deaths from cardiovascular disease have fallen by more than 23% over the past seven years, according to a health department report published today.
Among the report's – 'Winning the War on Heart Disease' – conclusions, it was revealed that eight-in-10 heart attack patients received life-saving thrombolysis treatment within 30 minutes of hospital arrival in 2003 - compared to less than four in 10 in 2000.
And the report claims that there will be no heart patients waiting over six months for an operation by the end of March 2004 - compared to over 2,700 waiting that long in 2002.
Health Secretary John Reid said: "Seven years ago, cardiac services were in a terrible state. Patients could wait years for diagnosis and over two years for surgery.
"Few people suffering a heart attack were getting the right treatment at the right time and those needing life-saving drugs did so through good fortune rather than a good system.
"Today's report shows that, thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, we're making real progress in delivering better cardiac services. Fewer people are dying and emergency care is vastly improved."
Following on the back of the report, the government announced a £1 million slew to examine the possibility of providing a national 24/7 primary angioplasty service - a procedure to unblock the arteries - on hospital admission. Also, from April 2005, patients will be given the choice of where they have surgery carried out as soon as they're told that they need an operation - instead of having to wait six months for that option as at present.
The Dorset & Somerset and Newcastle Primary Care Trusts will also be given £20 million to provide new cardiac facilities – bringing spending on new or expanded heart surgery hospitals to £600 million.
Welcoming the report, Professor Sir Charles George, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "There have been some significant improvements in the availability of rapid access chest pain clinics for people with new symptoms."
He added: "The improvement in secondary prevention after a heart attack has been particularly impressive."
(gmcg)
Among the report's – 'Winning the War on Heart Disease' – conclusions, it was revealed that eight-in-10 heart attack patients received life-saving thrombolysis treatment within 30 minutes of hospital arrival in 2003 - compared to less than four in 10 in 2000.
And the report claims that there will be no heart patients waiting over six months for an operation by the end of March 2004 - compared to over 2,700 waiting that long in 2002.
Health Secretary John Reid said: "Seven years ago, cardiac services were in a terrible state. Patients could wait years for diagnosis and over two years for surgery.
"Few people suffering a heart attack were getting the right treatment at the right time and those needing life-saving drugs did so through good fortune rather than a good system.
"Today's report shows that, thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, we're making real progress in delivering better cardiac services. Fewer people are dying and emergency care is vastly improved."
Following on the back of the report, the government announced a £1 million slew to examine the possibility of providing a national 24/7 primary angioplasty service - a procedure to unblock the arteries - on hospital admission. Also, from April 2005, patients will be given the choice of where they have surgery carried out as soon as they're told that they need an operation - instead of having to wait six months for that option as at present.
The Dorset & Somerset and Newcastle Primary Care Trusts will also be given £20 million to provide new cardiac facilities – bringing spending on new or expanded heart surgery hospitals to £600 million.
Welcoming the report, Professor Sir Charles George, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "There have been some significant improvements in the availability of rapid access chest pain clinics for people with new symptoms."
He added: "The improvement in secondary prevention after a heart attack has been particularly impressive."
(gmcg)
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