Where you live determines whether you survive a heart attack, new report shows

New Zealanders’ chances of surviving heart disease still depend heavily on where they live, with some regions facing severe staff shortages, delayed treatment, and higher death rates.

A new report, commissioned by The Heart of Aotearoa – Kia Manawanui Trust and prepared by University of Otago, reveals that heart disease mortality rates are highest in Tairāwhiti, Lakes, Taranaki, and Whanganui – the very same regions where they have fewer cardiac staff, and where access to timely diagnosis and treatment is most limited.

Trust Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says our report confirms the existence of a postcode lottery for cardiac care.

“People living in these regions aren’t getting the same level of care as others – they’re less likely to be seen quickly, less likely to get the right tests, and less likely to survive.

“You shouldn’t have to win the geographic lottery to get life-saving treatment, but, in New Zealand, where you live unfortunately, determines whether you live.”

In Tairāwhiti, hospitalisation rates for heart failure are 60% higher than the national average, and across Whanganui, Tairāwhiti, Lakes, and Taranaki, patients are less likely to receive an angiogram within three days of hospitalisation for a semi-urgent heart attack (NSTEACS) – a critical timeframe for effective intervention.

Trust Medical Director Dr Sarah Fairley, and Wellington-based cardiologist, says it is clear that rural and underserved communities are being left behind.

“Clinicians in these areas are doing their best, but without enough dedicated cardiac beds in the tertiary hospitals (Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, Waikato, Wellington, Auckland) – which receive patients from the at-risk regions – they ’re working with one hand tied behind their backs.”

The variation in care across regions is a direct result of a lack of investment over decades – even something as important as an angiogram can depend on where you live, Dr Fairley says.

“In a well-resourced area, a patient might get one the next day, because they have enough beds and staff.

“In under-served regions, they might wait days – or not receive one at all.”

Ms Harding says the Government needs to allocate urgent funding to the MidCentral and Central regions, specifically, to address these regional disparities.

“It’s not acceptable that your survival after a heart attack depends on your postcode.

“We need targeted investment in staffing, diagnostics, and infrastructure in the regions where patients are currently being left behind.”