HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 cc509-10W
Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next plans to visit coronary heart disease departments in hospitals in Havering. [97696]

Mr. Hutton

I have no current plans to visit coronary heart disease departments in hospitals in Havering at this time.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to combat coronary heart disease in the London Borough of Havering; [97698]

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
England 86 81 78 74 69
Havering 89 79 71 79 75
Barking & Dagenham 105 94 93 96 87
Redbridge 91 76 81 74 74
Hackney 82 80 76 66 64
Tower Hamlets 100 89 79 77 73
Newham 100 96 95 100 89
Waltham Forest 96 92 78 94 85

The national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease (CHD), published in March 2000, sets out a 10 year strategy for tackling heart disease through improved prevention, identification and treatment of CHD. The NHS Plan reinforced this, including a commitment to significantly increase investment in services. Since the publication of the NSF, an additional 359 million revenue funding has been made available, most of this in baseline allocations, to enable local health communities to develop the services they need to meet the needs of their local population.

In north east London there is a cardiac network as well as the local Havering cardiac NSF implementation team working to ensure that the NSF is implemented fully. There is joint work ongoing between the local primary care trust (PCTs) and acute trust to improve speed of access to thrombolysis for patients admitted to accident and emergency with acute myocardial infarction.

There are also additional resources being made available from Havering PCT to support primary care in developing CHD registers. These are a key tool to enable systematic identification and treatment of people with, or at high risk of developing, CHD. The PCT also provides a smoking cessation service. Figures available are combined for Barking and Havering and in 2001–01, 318 people successfully quit, whilst in 2001–02 there were 502.

International research shows that diets rich in fruit and vegetables are protective against cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. The National School Fruit Scheme, which will be fully operation from 2004, will entitle school children aged four to six to a free piece of fruit each school day. The scheme was rolled-out to schools in London during the autumn of last year. The scheme is now available to all Romford schools with four to six year olds.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with(a) Havering Primary Care Trust and (b) the Havering, Barking and Redbridge NHS Hospitals Trust regarding coronary heart disease. [97699]

(2) if he will make a statement on the levels of coronary heart disease in the London Borough of Havering. [97697]

Mr. Hutton

Figures available on trends in mortality from coronary heart disease (LCD 410–414) indirectly standardised ratios (SMR) for all ages, covering the time period of 1996–2000, show that there has been a sustained decrease in mortality in all of the primary care trusts in north east London, including Havering. This information is shown in the table.

Mr. Hutton

I have had no discussions with Havering Primary Care Trust and Barking Havering and Redbridge Hospitals National Health Service Trust regarding coronary heart disease.