The Victorian Government has announced it will be spending $22 million over four years to ramp up the state’s response to heart attacks and strokes.

“Coronary heart disease is the single leading underlying cause of death of Victorians and cerebrovascular disease, which includes stroke, ranks second,” State Health Minister David Davis said.

“The first stage to improving our response will see MICA ambulances in one rural region carrying blood clot-dissolving drugs, for the urgent care of people experiencing a heart attack. The initiative would then be rolled out to all other regions.

“People living in country Victoria are often further away from time-critical hospital treatment, so our initiative to provide blood clot dissolving drugs before a heart attack patient reaches hospital will save lives.”

Under the funding scheme, specialist advice to doctors and other health professionals will be boosted in a bid to improve rapid response to heart attacks and strokes.

Mr Davis also said the funding will deliver better rehabilitation and support services to help patients recover from an acute episode and reduce the risk of another event.

Mr Davis said the heart disease and stroke initiative would also:

  • provide more streamlined access for people who need heart surgery in the major specialist hospitals;
  • improve rehabilitation and support to reduce the number of people with heart disease or stroke who need to be readmitted to hospital or re-present to emergency departments; and
  • provide an improved suite of rehabilitation and support services in community-based health facilities.

“Fast, timely medical response to heart attacks and strokes is crucial in saving lives and in giving patients the best chance of recovery.  An increased focus on rehabilitation and community-based treatment for people who have been in hospital with a cardiac or cerebrovascular condition, will also give patients a better chance of the best possible recovery without returning to hospital,” Mr Davis said.