I went to the PCT meeting to question the response to the consultation on Heart Attack Services, essentially a switch from thrombolysis by paramedics to Angioplasty (inflating a balloon with a stent round it in a coronary artery) at Papworth, Basildon or Norwich hospital as the primary initial treatment (intervention).  The language does not make these things easy to follow and the Strategic Health Authority  does not make sufficient evidence available for people to understand the issues involved.  That gives a feeling of secrecy, decisions predetermined and a focus on costs to the detriment of patients.

The claimed intention is to improve the “outcomes” for the 25% of the approximately 770 heart attack patients that go to Ipswich per year.  However people are concerned that the long journey times from rural Suffolk will be a major problem.  The significant improvement in outcome from the treatment change is reduced as the time to treatment increases and at some time becomes a detriment.  One of the objectors had some quite simple but convincing data on the issue.  Such evidence should be made public and I made that request.  The board appear frightened that it is too “technical” and will not be understood but I believe they underestimate people’s abilities.

We need convincing that lives in Suffolk will not be sacrificed so that others closer to the treatment centres can be saved.  If treatments must be different for those who would face long journey times we need to be assured that it will not be denied on grounds of equality of treatment.  The board was asking that contingency plans be in place to ensure that if an ambulance were delayed then thrombolysis or an air ambulance would be available as a backup.  They had spent an entire hour discussing this!!