Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, has confirmed this commitment to publishing an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Plan in an oral statement today.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The plan will be published this Spring and will ensure that more people have an increased chance of survival and recovery following an out of hospital cardiac arrest.
The Health Secretary said:
“Around 8,000 people in Wales suffer a sudden cardiac arrest every year. We can save many more lives by raising awareness of resuscitation and ensuring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation are undertaken more often.
“We are also striving to improve the care patients receive from successful resuscitation to rehabilitation. Cardiac care and survival rates continue to improve and I want to thank NHS staff and other stakeholders who have contributed to these improvements.”
The Heart Conditions Delivery Plan, published in January 2017 seeks to deliver fully integrated primary, community, secondary and specialist pathways of care, designed around the needs of the patient. It also gives patients a shared responsibility in managing their condition, including making the right lifestyle choices.
The Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Plan will include actions to improve early recognition of cardiac arrest, immediate and high quality CPR, early defibrillation and effective post resuscitation care. Plans include ensuring that cardiac rehabilitation teams have the right training and to provide consistency of care across Wales.
Cardiac care in Wales is steadily improving with fewer people dying from cardiovascular disease. The British Heart Foundation has described Wales as a world leader in cardiac rehabilitation, as the numbers receiving this following a heart attack have increased.