Deaths from heart disease FALL – another complete lie from the Herald’s health correspondent

From the National Records of Scotland, on 12 December 2023, the most recent data, the above reveals:

  1. Deaths from heart disease overall in 2023, were fewer than the average for 2021-2022 and those for 2018-2022, despite an aging population.
  2. The excess deaths figure was also down.
  3. For ischaemic heart disease deaths (sudden ‘heart attack’), they were significantly down. https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2023

Yet in the Herald today:

The number of people on cardiology waiting lists is at the highest level on record in Scotland amid “chronic underinvestment” and a “worrying” increase in deaths from heart disease.  

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland has warned that decades of progress in reducing mortality from cardiovascular causes is being lost, with hundreds of patients now waiting more than a year to see a cardiologist and over 23,000 people on outpatient lists.

So, a charity tells us there’s an increase and a health correspondent doesn’t check?

What about the waiting lists?

Needless to say, I can only find media reports claiming that they’re at the highest level on record but no actual trend data. Why don’t they reveal those data if the have them?

If deaths are falling and the population is aging at the same time thus increasing demand, does that mean that increased waiting times, average, median, are not having a harmful effect? Is the screening system perhaps working to make sure that those at greatest risk are being seen fast enough to save them?

6 thoughts on “Deaths from heart disease FALL – another complete lie from the Herald’s health correspondent”

  1. It is entirely possible waiting lists have grown, greater levels of early detection will produce that outcome, lower deaths are the result of earlier work.

    BBC Scotland had “I worry my heart will fail while I’m still on a waiting list” yesterday, so McArdle https://archive.ph/fm6OI is running with pretty much the same script, you can almost read the same lines in places on her article, so it’s being distributed.

    There is a limit to what SG may do over the problem, as it’s a UK wide issue – Even were they to spring additional by some miracle, where would they get the expertise ?

    Political dogma in London has not only systematically defunded the NHS, but savaged the pool of existing expertise and jeopardised it for the future, and remember these specialists take a decade and more to come through – When the Tories would rather do battle with doctors etc over pay to emulate Thatcher, they’re looking for short term political wins rather than long term societal gains.

    The British disease…

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  2. personal knowledge:

    Early October 2023: GP appointment on another matter, he notices unusual pulse, sent for ECG. Done in 2 weeks, back at GP that afernoon, not a critial problem but start some drug treatment, sent for Echocardiogram. Done in 2 weeks, back at GP within 2 days to talk through treatment to manage the problem. All staff and whole system cannot be faulted. 

    “The charity released figures revealing that fewer than three in 10 people are being seen within six weeks for echocardiograms – a key test to diagnose and monitor certain heart diseases. The charity also said fewer than half of people see a cardiologist within 12 weeks.” When was the survey done. 

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  3. Diagnosed with AF in August-22, seen by consultant August 23, wait-time for echo test originally 16 weeks, now, guesstimate of 8/9 months- then presumably, wait- time to discuss with consultant?..

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  5. Get for help quick. Better chance of surviving. Get to hospital the best care in the world. SNHS saves lives, sight etc. cannot be faulted. Covid and underfunding from the UK Gov holds healthcare back. No increase since 2015. Chronic underfunding.

    The UK Gov spending £1090Billion. £125Billion on healthcare, a year, since 2015. No increase. Healthcare members left because of Brexit. The economy losing £Billions.

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  6. I has a heart attack 18 months ago and spent a week in hospital before Christmas. Now monitored on a month basis by hospital nursing staff. Absolutely no complaints about a brilliant Scottish NHS.

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