The target of reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease for people under 75 by 40% has been met by the Department of Health five years early, according to the Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) National Service Framework (NSF) Progress Report.
Latest figures also show that in September 2006, numbers of cardiologists had increased by 61% and numbers of cardiothoracic surgeons had increased 32% since 1999/2000. Health Minister Ann Keen said: “We have made ongoing and sustainable improvements to the treatment of heart disease that have dramatically reduced mortality rates. Our substantial investment in this area through the Capital Programme has made a significant contribution to patients’ quality of care by both improving diagnosis and reducing waiting times.”
In response to the announcement that the Government has met its targets early, Peter Hollins, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation commented: “We’ve seen steady improvements since the National Service Framework (NSF) was introduced to care for people with heart disease, which is great news. But the Government has cherry picked the juiciest successes here – even though glaring, worrying issues remain.
“Cardiac rehabilitation is still woefully under-funded and poorly organised. Despite Government’s promise that 85% of heart patients in need would receive the life-saving treatment, more than 60% are missing out on cardiac rehabilitation. We mustn’t see the NSF winding down or Government taking their eyes off the ball because this is precisely the moment it needs to re-energise. We need to build on this strategy, ready to face the challenges of more people living with heart disease and obesity which threaten to reverse what progress has been made.”
