Heart patients to receive speedier treatment

HUNDREDS of people who suffer heart attacks in Scarborough will benefit from changes to treatment provisions that health bosses say will save valuable time and improve survival rates.

A policy published earlier this week will see local patients who suffer heart attacks admitted directly to Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

In Hull, they will receive both an angiograms, that use x-rays to locate narrowed segments of the heart arteries, and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) if necessary to counter the narrowing of coronary arteries.

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Before the changes, such patients were admitted to Scarborough hospital to be stabilised and diagnosed.

After that, it could take several days before they were moved to Hull for further diagnosis and treatment.

Bruce Willoughby, NHS North Yorkshire and York consultant in public health, said reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment is "critical" for heart attack patients.

He added: "It reduces the amount of damage to the heart muscle and reduces complications due to a lack of oxygen in the body."

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"Taking patients straight to Hull means the cardiovascular specialists at the hospital can perform the diagnosis and treatment quickly whilst the patient remains on the operating table."

The changes have been achieved by a joint venture between bodies including NHS North Yorkshire and York, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

It is expected the service will result in the risk of death lowered by five per cent, fewer strokes, heart attacks and complications, and reduced hospital stays.

Earlier this year, York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust began offering PCI treatment.

This meant patients in North Yorkshire with coronary heart disease who have suffered heart attacks or angina no longer face long journeys after being referred to hospitals in Leeds and Hull.