MANAGERS at the region's heart transplant centre say they are confident it will avoid the fate proposed for the renowned Harefield Hospital, in London.

Three of the country's seven transplant centres, including Harefield, may have to close after a review by the Department of Health.

Despite no confirmation that the heart unit at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital will survive the cuts, managers are optimistic.

National Health Service officials say they are considering the closures because a diminishing organ donor pool has been caused by a reduction in fatal accidents over recent years.

They say there are too many heart centres. They also say that surgeons at the centres are under-employed, and so do not gain the experience that they need.

Patients' groups say they would welcome the move only if it meant that the money saved was invested in the remaining centres.

Len Fenwick, chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals, said the review had been under way for more than a year and that a decision was expected in the near future.

"We are very confident that the Newcastle centre will continue to provide the excellent service that it first established in 1985," he said.

"I would imagine that money from any closed centres would go to the existing ones."

It was at the Freeman Hospital that Sally Slater was given a new heart after her case generated public concern last year.

Heart disease claims about 180,000 lives in Britain each year, an issue highlighted by The Northern Echo's A Chance to Live campaign.

Eve Knight, liaison officer of the British Cardiac Patients' Association, agreed that there were insufficient donors to justify seven heart centres.

She said: "We are down to about 250 operations annually in seven centres. It would be better to have centres of excellence, where you can guarantee quality, rather than having too many surgeons not getting the experience."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it was considering the shake-up because of the success of road safety campaigns and improvements in intensive care.

"The review is under way, but no decision has been made yet," she said