HEALTH DISCUSSION FORUM » POSTCODE MEDICINE.

WE read /see a lot about quality and ease of treatments varying on where you live. Now it seems that people from poorer areas are likely to suffer serious post cardiac operation outcomes.

A study published by the British Medical Journal online has revealed that people from areas of social deprivation have significantly worse outcomes following cardiac surgery and concluded that social deprivation independently predicted the risk of dying following cardiac surgery (1).

In response, Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Despite ten years of progress, people from deprived areas still disproportionately shoulder the burden of cardiovascular disease.

"We should be aiming to reduce the level of deaths across the country to the current level in south east England or below.

“This study highlights the fact that it is not enough to provide heart patients with high quality surgery, we also need excellent pre-operative care and cardiac rehabilitation to address inequalities in health.

"Cardiac rehabilitation is a lifesaving and cost effective treatment, yet many patients still do not get access to it – a major piece of unfinished business.

“We need a joined up approach from Government and health services. This is why the BHF, alongside 41 other organisations, has drafted recommendations (2) for a new strategic approach to fight cardiovascular disease which looks at prevention, access to services, rehabilitation and end of life care.

“We urge policy makers to use these recommendations, and make heart health inequalities one of their top priorities.”

What's your postcode?

I would be interested to know if anyone has a view on why the statistics are so disappointing because it is relevant to what HoS is trying to achieve.

HEALTH GAP "WIDER THAN IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION" This from the BBC website.

The health inequality gap in Britain is greater than it was during the post-World War I slump and the Great Depression, a study suggests.

Despite the continued rise in life expectancy, it is well documented that the gap between richest and poorest has actually been widening in recent years.

Researchers from Sheffield and Bristol looked at early death rates since 1921. They found the current gap was greater than it was in the 1920s and 1930s, the British Medical Journal results.

The researchers analysed mortality data for England and Wales, obtained from the Office for National Statistics, and for Scotland, obtained from the General Register Office for Scotland.

Between 1999 to 2007, for every 100 deaths before the age of 65 in the richest 10th of areas, there were 212 in the poorest 10th.

This compared with 191 deaths in the poorest areas from 1921 to 1930 and 185 deaths from 1931 to 1939.

These decades cover probably the toughest economic and social period of the 20th century

I think it will be very interesting to see where the deepest cuts come in this decade and what significance that will have on similar statistics.

MORE FROM THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION FOLLOWING ON FROM THE PREVIOUS POST.

18/09/2009

In response to a report published by the Care Quality Commission (1) which examined how the prescription of statins and stop smoking services could best be used to tackle cardiovascular disease and health inequalities, Betty McBride, Policy & Communications Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

"Despite significant progress in reducing premature death from cardiovascular disease, it is alarming to find that people in deprived areas are missing out on vital health services.

"If we are to give people in deprived areas the services they deserve we clearly need to prioritise them in future plans. This is a national problem and needs a nationally integrated solution, one which puts tackling inequalities at the core of cardiac and vascular planning, and incentivises healthcare professionals to make the difference.

"As the NHS faces up to rising financial pressures, preventative measures such as the effective use of generic statins and investment in smoking cessation services can prove a cost effective way to improve the heart health of the nation."

This is from The British heart Foundation. I don't know where we in the northwest fit into the picture but will try to find out and if anyone else finds the details please put it in here. Ta.

Access to cardiac care

The Access to Cardiac Care Report (May 2009) shows that provision of treatments for heart disease in the UK is now much better than it was in 2000, when it was shamefully inadequate. But it also highlights marked inequalities with some areas of the UK coming close to meeting the needs of their populations whilst others are a long way behind.

Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

“This report shows marked regional differences in provision of cardiac services, a number of which fall far short of the estimated current local need. Local healthcare providers need urgently to investigate why this is in order to tackle these inequalities.

“The study also shows that the need for treatment will grow in the next decade as people live longer. Consequently local health care commissioners must develop a robust strategy to meet the current and future needs of their populations coupled with a national strategy to audit performance so that everyone who needs cardiac treatment receives it, regardless of where they live.

I have certainly seen big changes at Hope/salford Royal in Cardiac care over the last 10 years I don't know if others have found the same.

CARDIO AND VASCULAR COALITION.

If you click the attachment title at the bottom of this post of the page you will be able to read the  Brirish Heart Foundation paper title "Destination 2020 A plan for Cardiac and Vascular health" It is quite a big paper but it seeks to point out ways to address problems such as the "Postcode Lottery" that this topic started on.

Attachment: z180_destination_2020_a_plan_for_cardiac_and_vascular_health.pdf