Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Health, further to Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 30 May 2011, if he has yet received the information from the Health Service Executive necessary to answer same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28430/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Following the launch of 'Reducing the Risk: A Strategic Approach – the Report of the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death in March 2006, the HSE set about coordinating the implementation of the recommendations in conjunction with partner agencies.

In coordinating the task of implementing the 75 recommendations, a steering group with four subgroups, comprising many of the original Sudden Cardiac Death Task Force members, was formed in September 2006 to maintain continuity with the work of the Task Force.In the three years of implementation that followed seventeen recommendations were implemented in full, forty five were commenced with work in progress and thirteen were outstanding.

In conjunction with partner agencies the key achievements included:

I. Improving first response to a cardiac event: considerable progress has been achieved with the launch of a 'How To' guide for communities and groups wishing to set up a first responder group;the publication of a guide for purchasers of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED); spatial analysis of current ambulance provision; initiation and evaluation of co-responder pilot programmes; and the finalising of the Cardiac First Response Report (CFRR) - which will inform the national Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Register (OHCAR). Agreed universally recognised AED signage for use in Ireland was finalised.

II. Improvement in resuscitation training: this was instigated through a number of programmes which included the development and introduction of standards across six levels of responders and practitioners by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC); training of GP's in 450 practices in resuscitation and AED use; training of 1,000 people in CPR/AED usage and another 1,500 people in CPR through partner organisations - such as Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and Croi (West of Ireland Cardiology Foundation); a 'citizen CPR' public awareness campaign to raise awareness of calling for emergency services and learning CPR; and a novel CPR 4 Schools programme set up by the (IHF). [The August 2010 progress report of the Steering Group charged with reporting on the implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death refers to a finding in a survey in 2008 that almost a quarter of the population (over 16 years of age) reported that they have undergone CPR training in the previous five years – a very good base on which to build for the next decade.]

III. Risk assessment of those involved in sports or exercise: while this is an evolving area a consensus Advisory Statement was agreed with guidance for GPs developed in conjunction with the ICGP.

IV. Detection of those at high risk of SCD: in order to rapidly inform families of those who died of SCD under 40 years of age guidelines were developed in conjunction with the Coroners' Society of Ireland (CSI) and the Faculty of Pathology.The CSI has formally adopted these guidelines and informed members. Follow up of family members after a death from SCD is available through two voluntarily funded family screening clinics in Dublin.

V. Surveillance: considerable development in the area of surveillance has been accomplished. This includes the setting up of two important sources of surveillance (SCD in the Young register and the national OHCAR); the completion of two snapshot surveys within the Irish population (CPR training prevalence and the prevalence of family history and symptoms in risk assessment); as well as a large study of the prevalence of abnormalities on cardiac screening of a cohort of GAA athletes.

VI. Register: an SCD in Young register continues under the auspices of the Mater Heart House with IHF and HSE co-chairing a steering committee.

VII. The HSE has made a commitment (through one of our Public Health Doctors) to find an alternative approach to initiating an AED register and have set up a project with the IHF, PHECC and NAS. A part-time project manager has started on this project.

The final progress report mentioned above can be viewed at http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/topics/Heart/sdcfinalrpt2010.pdf. It concluded that many areas recommended in the SCD Task Force Report have been addressed and much has been achieved, though it acknowledged that there is more work to be done.