Life-saving cardiac treatment moves closer to people's homes

HUNDREDS of heart patients in North Yorkshire are due to benefit every year from a life-saving cardiac service which is being launched in York.

Sufferers across the county needing diagnosis and treatment for a number of cardio problems will soon be able to get both at York Hospital instead of having to travel long distances.

Not only will this mean fast-tracked treatment for people suffering chest pains, but the change will also allow hospital trust bosses to invest 500,000 a year – currently been spent on transport for heart patients – in front-line services for other patients.

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From next month, York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will offer percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment which involves opening up a coronary artery to improve blood supply to the heart, thereby relieving symptoms.

The procedure, previously known as coronary angioplasty, is for patients with coronary heart disease who have suffered angina or a heart attack.

People from York, Selby and parts of the Scarborough and Ryedale areas who need the vital treatment currently go to York Hospital for initial diagnosis, before being referred to hospitals in Leeds or Hull for surgery if required.

It is expected that between 300 and 400 patients a year from the areas will soon be able to receive the treatment at York.

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Consultant cardiologist at the trust Dr Nigel Durham said: "Patients who experience a sudden onset of severe chest pain need to be assessed immediately, and also require access to PCI treatment within 96 hours when indicated.

"This presents a real challenge if they first have to travel to York and then onto Leeds or Hull.

"We now have the facilities and the trained clinical staff in place to diagnose and treat such patients all in one place.

"It means patients get the treatment they require earlier, closer to home, and therefore will start their cardiac rehabilitation sooner – leading to an improved recovery."

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The guiding light of the changes has been York's own team of heart experts and their bosses, who persuaded the NHS to restructure the service this year.

Assistant director of strategy at NHS North Yorkshire and York Annabel Johnson said: "We are delighted to announce the start of this new service at York. This represents a much better service for patients and is a much better use of NHS resources.

"Patients will now be able to access this care closer to home through a 'one-stop shop' in York rather than having to travel to two different hospitals via ambulance. We also expect waiting times to reduce as a result.

"This development will also free up NHS resource, such as the cost of ambulance transport, which can be reinvested elsewhere. We estimate these savings to be in the region of 500,000 per year."

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Benefiting from the service will be patients who suffer heart attacks, angina and severe chest pain. The surgery treats the cause of heart attacks and chest pain by unblocking an artery carrying blood to the heart.

That reduces chances of more clots forming – reducing the possibility of more heart attacks or strokes. A small balloon is inserted on the end of a long thin tube via an artery in the groin or arm and guided to the point of blockage.

Once there the balloon is inflated to allow a tube to be put in place, squashing the blockage and opening up the artery allowing blood to flow freely.

The procedure is carried out by highly-trained cardiologists in a catheterisation laboratory in a hospital.