§ 31. Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to shorten the average time taken to deliver treatment to victims of heart attacks. [57381]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department has introduced various initiatives to reduce the time taken to treat people who have heart attacks. There is now considerable evidence that delays in providing emergency treatment have been reduced and more patients are receiving early thrombolytic therapy.
However, more remains to be done. This is why the first National Service Framework on coronary heart disease includes the management of heart attack. The Emerging Findings Report, which will be published shortly, contains draft standards which include the pre-hospital care of people who suffer heart attacks as well as emergency treatment in hospital.