Well done Conquest

The results are a step up from last year when the hospital achieved four out of five targets.

The Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project (MINAP) is an audit to measure hospital performance against the targets set by the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease for treatment of patients following a heart attack.

The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease is a ten-year programme, published by the Department of Health in March 2000, to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

MINAP has assessed how quickly clot-busting drugs are given to patients following a heart attack (door to needle time and call to needle time) and the use of aspirin, beta blockers and statins, drugs which reduce the risk of another heart attack.

Conquest's scores compared to the National Service Framework (NSF) for Coronary Heart Disease targets were:

92% of eligible patients receiving thrombolytic (clot-busting) drugs within 30 minutes of arriving at hospital '“ NSF target 75%

83% of eligible patients were given thrombolytic drugs within 60 minutes of calling for help '“ NSF target 68%

98% of patients discharged from hospital following a heart attack given aspirin '“ NSF target 80%,

95% of patients discharged from hospital following a heart attack were given beta blockers'“ NSF target 80%

96% of patients discharged from hospital following a heart attack were given statins to help prevent another heart attack '“ NSF target 80%

The audit looked at the performance of hospitals in England currently treating heart attack patients between April 2006 to March 2007.

Dr Eric McWilliams, Consultant Cardiologist said, "These are excellent results. In all categories we exceed the target and are ahead of the national averages '“ in some cases by a large margin. This is the result of a considerable amount of excellent collaborative work between South East Coast Ambulance Service and staff at the hospital including cardiac nurse practitioners, Accident and Emergency staff, coronary care unit nurses and Physicians. As part of our on going commitment to patients, we will continue to improve and provide a first class service for patients with heart conditions."