Ayrshire and Arran health board has become the first in the UK to reduce heart surgery waiting times to six months, writes David Steele.
In 1997 it met targets for treating heart patients in need of cardiac surgery within six months of their problem being diagnosed.
Although more than a quarter of deaths in its area are heart-related, the board was confident it would continue to meet its targets.
Dr John Morrow, chairman of Ayrshire and Arran health board, said: ''Heart disease is one of the most widespread and serious health problems facing today's society. Our aim is to reduce the dreadful toll which coronary disease takes on the population of Ayrshire and Arran.
''However, it is clear that treatment alone is not the answer to the problems posed by heart disease locally, and we will be redoubling our efforts to ensure that health education and the recently launched health promotion strategy, play an important role in achieving our aim, which is to see a significant reduction in deaths caused by heart disease in Ayrshire and Arran.''
Measures brought in to improve cardiac services include health promotion, equality of care across the region, improved access to diagnosis and ensuring services meet the needs of local areas.
Ms Marjorie Durie, the board's director of service development, said: ''These ambitious and imaginative measures show how determined we are to combat coronary heart disease and its causes.
''Ayrshire has a death rate from heart disease which in some areas is higher than the rest of Scotland, and we all know that the nation's record is an appalling one.
''We have decided to act now, ahead of the findings of the national review of acute services, in order that our programme of prevention and rapid treatment can be targeted at the communities which need assistance most.''
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