Scottish Government
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Scotland on track to hit 'big three' targets
Scotland remains on-track to meet key targets on cutting premature deaths from the 'big three' killers - heart disease, stroke and cancer, according to figures published today.
Official statistics published today by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) show that, in 2008:
- There were 8,841 deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) in 2008. The rate in under 75s was down by 8.6 per cent on the previous year. This means Scotland is on track to hit a target of a 60 per cent reduction in such deaths from 1995 levels by 2010
- There were 15,269 deaths from cancer in 2008. The rate in under 75s was down by 2.1 per cent on the previous year. Since 1995, deaths from cancer have reduced by 20.1 per cent - already beating a target to cut these deaths by 20 per cent by 2010
- There were 5,367 deaths from stroke in 2008. The rate in under 75s rose by 4.1 per cent on the previous year. However, Scotland remains on track overall to meet the 50 per cent reduction target for 2010
- The total number of deaths in Scotland in 2008 was 55,700. Cancer was responsible for 27.4 per cent of the total deaths, with heart disease responsible for 15.9 per cent and stroke for 9.6 per cent
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:
"Little more than a decade ago, Scotland was seen as the 'Sick Man of Europe' because of our high premature death rates from heart disease, stroke and cancer.
"But today's figures show that, with determination and a lot of hard work from NHS Scotland, we are on track to meet some very ambitious targets to reduce these deaths.
"Better treatment can only do so much, however, and future progress will largely depend on people's lifestyles - healthy eating, doing more exercise, quitting smoking and drinking sensibly.
"This government is taking firm action in all these areas so that our health service isn't burdened by what are often preventable illnesses.
"There has been a slight rise in stroke deaths in 2008, but we are confident that the considerable efforts we are devoting in this area will return us to the downward trend.
"Our recently-launched action plan, Better Heart Disease and Stroke Care, has a heavy focus on improving stroke awareness and survival, including getting more people into specialist stroke units quickly."
The Scottish Government's new Better Heart Disease and Stroke Care Action Plan has improving people's health before problems develop at its core. Measures range from encouraging healthier lifestyles to improving cardiac and stroke treatment and care, and boosting staff skills.
Latest figures showed that NHS Scotland met the national target to treat 95 per cent of urgently referred cancer patients within two months for the first time. Over the period October 1 to December 31, 2008, 95.4 per cent of patients across Scotland began treatment within 62 days of urgent referral.
The Scottish Government's action plan, Better Cancer Care, sets a new target that by 2011, all patients diagnosed with cancer, whatever the route of referral, will start treatment within 31 days from the date of decision to treat.
