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Dept of Health

Answer

Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the date when paramedics will commence administering thrombolytic drugs to heart attack patients in the Wyre Forest constituency before their journey to hospital in Worcester. [33533] Yvette Cooper: The NHS Plan contained a commitment to improve `call-to-needle' times for administering thrombolytic drugs for treating heart attack victims. I am advised that the Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust are already meeting targets set for ambulance response times. I understand that the trust, in collaboration with Herefordshire and Worcestershire health authorities, Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, have initiated procedures laid down in the NHS Plan, published in July 2000, for a three year programme to train and equip ambulance paramedics to provide thrombolysis safely for appropriate patients. I am advised that paramedics at Hertfordshire and Worcestershire Ambulance Service will commence administering thrombolytic drugs to heart attack patients in the Wyre Forest constituency in May this year. This is part of an 18 month programme covering all 14 ambulance stations in the area.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

33533; 380 c1071-2W;380 c1073-4W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Ambulance services Drugs Heart diseases Medical treatments Standards Worcester Wyre Forest Thromboembolism Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk