HEALTH bosses have defended the record of the North-East's NHS heart units.

More than 2,000 heart bypass operations are carried out every year at Middlesbrough and Newcastle hospitals.

But according to a guide published by The Times, the North-East centres have average death rates for coronary artery heart bypass surgery, compared with low death rates at places such as Leeds.

The results for Middlesbrough (2.7 per cent) and for Newcastle (2.5 per cent) put them in the same "average death rate" bracket as most English heart units.

But according to the report, the two North-East units are lagging behind centres such as Leeds, where death rates are slightly lower (two per cent).

A separate survey of deaths after all open heart operations, released by the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons, confirmed regional variations in death rates.

The surgeons' figures confirmed that Middlesbrough (3.5 per cent) and Newcastle (3.4 per cent) had average death rates.

Steven Hunter, clinical director at the James Cook University Hospital heart unit in Middlesbrough, said he did not believe The Times league table reflected the circumstances of the North-East.

Because few heart bypass operations were carried out in the region until very recently, patients operated on in the North-East tended to be more seriously ill than in some other parts of the country.

The high underlying rate of illness was also a factor, Mr Hunter added.

He said: "Major factors for mortality are whether patients have had previous heart attacks, how well their heart is beating, whether they are diabetic, whether they have vascular disease elsewhere or whether they have kidney or lung disease.

"All of these factors should be taken into consideration."

The planned expansion of the unit in April 2003 would allow more low-risk patients to be treated, bringing down the mortality rate even further, Mr Hunter added.

Len Fenwick, chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have a similar situation to the one on Teesside.

"Our figures reflect the deprivation and high underlying sickness rates in the North-East."

He said he wanted to assure people that the Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary hospitals were doing a good job.

"The population of the North-East should have every confidence in both sites," said Mr Freeman