HEALTH Secretary John Reid could save up to 110,000 people from sudden heart attacks if he introduced vital health reforms, a Swindon MP has claimed.
South Swindon MP Julia Drown has urged the Department of Health to increase the number of cardiologists and provide more cash for pacemakers.
Surgeons in the UK currently implant 450 pacemakers per million people compared to 900 per million in France, Germany and Italy and 1,000 per million in the US.
Similarly, there are only 650 cardiologists in the UK compared to 6,000 in France, Germany and Italy.
The Government has accepted a blueprint for improving cardiac services drawn
up by health charity the Arrhythmia Alliance but health pressure groups and MPs fear the Government will
fail to implement it because of potentially high costs.
Now Ms Drown has joined 70 other MPs in signing an Early Day Motion demanding Mr Reid ensures the blueprint becomes a reality.
The Labour MP said: "It is part of the framework, which is obviously good
news.
"We have made good progress but I am sure we can still do more. Heart disease is a particular problem in Swindon in that we have relatively high death rates.
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