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Good News For Heart Surgery Patients

Monday 1 July 2002

The Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke Association has positively welcomed the announcement by the Finance Minister that £3million will be allocated to providing additional heart surgery operations outside Northern Ireland. Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of NICHSA said, “This is great news for those who have been enduring the lengthy wait for surgery. It will make a huge difference to the morale of those individuals, greatly reduce their anxiety and be a great a boost to their families who have cause for worry during the waiting period. These funds will reduce by 300 the size of the waiting list. It will also make easier access for those heart patients unable to travel. It will speed up the whole process for all waiting for heart surgery.

The Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke Association has positively welcomed the announcement by the Finance Minister that £3million will be allocated to providing additional heart surgery operations outside Northern Ireland. Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of NICHSA said, “This is great news for those who have been enduring the lengthy wait for surgery. It will make a huge difference to the morale of those individuals, greatly reduce their anxiety and be a great a boost to their families who have cause for worry during the waiting period. These funds will reduce by 300 the size of the waiting list. It will also make easier access for those heart patients unable to travel. It will speed up the whole process for all waiting for heart surgery.

NICHSA asks that additional funds are invested for long-term development of cardiac surgery at the Royal Hospitals Trust. Admittedly the Royal Hospitals Trust has failed to achieve its target of 1,100 operations in each of the last 3 years. The shortfall in each year has been as much as 300. NICHSA asks that the Royal does at least 100 operations each month and that if the Royal Victoria Hospital fails to achieve this target, the shortfall should be allocated to other Centres in Great Britain.

Health Boards over the years have developed a practice of sending heart clients for surgery in Great Britain. In particular the Western Health Board has developed a system whereby quality care and preparation are provided for all who travel for their operation. A family member will accompany each individual and no one heart client will be sent alone at any given time. At least two heart clients will travel to the one Centre for their operation at any one time. This ensures moral support.

The provision of these operations will make speedier access to surgery for those who are elderly, have complicated cases or do not wish to travel.

In the long-term there must be investment in the cardiac surgery locally at the Royal Hospitals Trust. It is also imperative that the Royal Hospitals Trust can convince purchasers of operations that it is capable of delivering. So far the Royal Hospitals Trust has never achieved its 1,100 target of operations set as far back as 1992.”

Andrew Dougal welcomed this bold initiative.

Ends.

If money is allocated for 300 operations this would mean the following additional operations in each Health & Social Services Board area:-

Western Health & Social Services Board 48
Eastern Health & Social Services Board 126
Northern Health & Social Services Board 72
Southern Health & Social Services Board 54

This presumes that the money is allocated solely on a basis of population. If it is allocated in relation to mortality rates for coronary heart disease, more resources will be directed to the West and South of the Province.

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