The UK has some of the worst cancer and heart attack survival rates in the developed world, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Among 13 of the richest nations, Britain had the second lowest five-year bowel cancer survival rate at 51.6% and came fifth from the bottom for breast cancer survival rates after five years, at 78.5%. The UK also ranked fifth worst out of 19 countries in terms of patients dying within 30 days of being admitted to hospital with a heart attack and showed a higher rate than the OECD average (6.3% vs 4.9% in 2007). The UK also had higher rates of deaths in hospital for both ischaemic (9.0% vs 5.0%) and haemorrhagic stroke (26.3% vs 19.8%).
