§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to improve the delivery of thrombolysis in acute hospitals since March 2002. [88752]
§ Ms BlearsSince March 2002, we have taken a number of steps aimed at improving the delivery of thrombolysis, including
investment of £.10 million from the New Opportunities fund for cardiac monitoring equipment, electro-cardiograph (ECG) machines, on 999 ambulances, to support faster thrombolysis either en route or on arrival at the acute hospital;a further £14 million a year central investment over the next three years to complete the programme of providing ECGs for 999 ambulances, to provide thrombolysis training for paramedics and to modernise communications between ambulances and acute hospitals;work with the coronary heart disease collaborative to ensure paramedics pre-alert hospitals that heart attack patients are on the way, so that thrombolysis can be started immediately on arrival; anda rapid review of best practice with the coronary heart disease collaborative to support better delivery of thrombolysis across the national health service.In addition, in October 2002 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence published "Guidance on the use of drugs for early thrombolysis in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction". In November 2002, the Royal College of Physicians published hospital performance data by the myocardial infarction national audit project. This should help hospitals to improve the time they take to provide thrombolysis to patients with a heart attack.
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