HC Deb 07 July 1969 vol 786 cc947-8
36. Mr. Dudley Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that 40 per cent. of deaths from coronary attacks take place within the first hour, he will take steps to encourage the provision of mobile coronary care units in all major towns and cities.

Mr. Snow

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Mrs. Knight) of 2nd December.—[Vol. 774. c. 240.]

Mr. Smith

Is the Under-Secretary aware that a significant number of lives could be saved annually in our large towns and cities if expert help and equipment could reach the victims of coronary attack within a few minutes? As this disease is, unhappily, on the increase, should we not be a little more sophisticated in the way we try to tackle it?

Mr. Snow

That point of view is, to some extent, confirmed by experiences in the Belfast experiment. The programme initiated by my Department will now go on for up to two years. We can then assess the value of these trials. The procedures are, of course, very expensive in terms of medical manpower, and there are other calls on the available manpower. I quite agree, however, with the hon. Member that it is a matter which needs to be carefully followed and that some results, if not all, are very interesting.