A new £3.4m 'game-changing' heart centre has officially opened at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.
Cumbria Heart Centre’s new facilities will support investigations and treatment for patients suspected of heart conditions, effectively increasing the capacity to handle emergencies and planned procedures simultaneously.
Before there was only one ageing lab and planned procedures had to be postponed if an emergency patient came in.
The labs hope to ensure the whole of north Cumbria gets timely expert help when needed.
Consultant cardiologist Dr Justin Barclay said: “These two labs are, not just state-of-the-art with the best equipment we could ask for, they mean that we will be able to carry our planned procedures simultaneously with emergency procedures.”
The centre was officially opened by professor Sir Liam Donaldson, the former chief medical officer for England and the current chair of the North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
“This is a wonderful facility I understand the previous single lab was in a porta cabin and around 7-8000 patients were treated in the portacabin.
"This area and environment is a place of light now. That light is bringing life and survival and good times to the people who can walk away from here cured," he said.
Viv English, a previous patient and coworker at the Heart Centre, gave a moving speech on the outstanding services provided by the team during her and her husband's heart attacks.
“My husband suffered a heart attack six months ago out of the blue.
"He was taken to the labs and had a stent fitted. He is now back in the mountain on his bike living life to the full.
“Thank you to team cardiology for saving my husband, a dad and a son.
"This service saves and has saved so many lives, I am grateful to be part of this team we will and can provide people the chance to get urgent lifesaving treatment that is needed and give help and support and follow-up care," she said.
Estelle Hodges, ward manager at the Coronary Care Unit at West Cumberland Hospital said: “Having this new facility at the Cumberland Infirmary will make such a difference to the people of west Cumbria. "
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