THE latest medical advances in ways of diagnosing and treating heart patients before surgery may be introduced in Darlington within the next two years.

The £1.7m service planned at the town's Memorial hospital will provide diagnostic angiography for patients before cardiac surgery at South Cleveland hospital.

With the latest equipment and facilities, it is expected to attract and retain high calibre cardiologists, cardiac nurses, radiographers and technicians.

The move is in line with a government drive to reduce coronary heart disease and ensure universally high standards of care for patients at risk.

With a mortality rate 28pc above the national average, County Durham and Darlington has one of the highest rates of death from the disease in the country.

This week South Durham health care NHS trust agreed a draft outline business case for County Durham and Darlington health authority to provide the much-needed diagnostic service in the south of the county.

Without it, the new expanded cardiothoracic centre at South Cleveland hospital due to start up in 2003, will fail to maintain capacity.

Patients ultimately requiring heart surgery will be seen at the new diagnostic centre to assess the surgical intervention needed.

Once diagnosis is made, the cardiac team can begin the work-up to surgery by helping to maintain, stabilise or improve the patient's condition.

Intervention at this stage is claimed by health professionals to enhance recovery and reduce the risk of surgery.

Mr John Saxby, chief executive of the South Durham trust, said the centre was key to meeting the government's national service framework for coronary heart disease and to bringing down mortality rates.

"The diagnostic angiography service is all part of reducing the time people have to wait for cardiac surgery. Patients are still waiting more than 12 months and that must change.

"The health authority is supporting the capacity development at South Cleveland hospital where surgery will take place.

"In order to meet that capacity there must be a diagnostic service at North and South Durham. Patients will be prepared for surgery and surgeons will know exactly what needs to be done before they reach South Cleveland hospital."

The trust is aware of the national shortage of invasive cardiologists but believes a new facility cannot fail to attract high calibre staff. Mr Saxby added: "If we have a state-of-the-art cardiac centre in Darlington there should be no problem in attracting heart consultants, cardiac nurses and radiographers.

"People want to work in a brand new facility and will want to stay.

"With this centre South Cleveland cardiac facilities will be able to be used to the full. Without it the health authority will not meet there targets on coronary heart surgery."