HEALTH secretary Alan Milburn yesterday vowed to win the war on waiting lists - for the sake of his friend Ian Weir and thousands like him.

In an emotional speech at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Milburn announced more detailed plans to overhaul the system of heart care.

The Northern Echo launched the Chance To Live campaign 18 months ago, following the death of Darlington father-of-two Ian as he waited for urgently-needed heart surgery.

Yesterday, the Health Secretary spoke movingly of Ian, who was The Northern Echo's deputy chief photographer, as he promised to cut maximum waiting times for treatment to six months and then cut them again to three months.

He also announced the creation of seven new chest pain clinics to be based in the North-East, to diagnose patients with suspected heart disease within a fortnight.

He told delegates: "Sometimes the health service lets down the very people who need it most. It let down Ian Weir.

"Ian died last year. He was only 38 and he died waiting for a heart operation on the NHS.

"There was no one quite like Ian Weir. But there are far too many people waiting just like Ian Weir."

Shortly before his death, lifelong Labour supporter Ian wrote an impassioned letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair outlining the stark realities of NHS waiting lists affecting him and thousands like him.

At the time, heart patients faced an average wait of up to 12 months for treatment in the UK, compared to only three months elsewhere in Western Europe.

Yesterday, the Health Secretary announced: "We will win the war on waiting because we have backed our support for NHS principles with the money necessary to reform its practices."

Ian's widow, Maggie Weir, said: "It is a wise Government that learns from its mistakes and has the courage to press for change."

The news was also welcomed by Dr Jim Hall, chief of service South Cleveland Hospital cardiothoracic department. He said: "I think The Northern Echo campaign on the treatment of heart patients honestly made a difference."

New rapid access heart clinics will be established at North Tees General Hospital, in Stockton, Hartlepool General Hospital, North Tyneside General Hospital in North Shields, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and Scarborough General Hospital.

Elsewhere, existing clinics at Darlington Memorial Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospitals will be extended to accommodate more patients.

Patients attending the clinics will have a so-called "one stop" assessment by a team of specialist staff so that, instead of waiting weeks or longer for different tests, many can be carried out at the same time.

Mr Milburn also announced plans to cut the maximum waiting time for cancer treatment to one month by 2005.

The number of specialists will rise by almost one third, there will be nearly 300 more cancer scanners and radiotherapy machines, and a National Cancer Research Institute will be set up.

Mr Milburn promised shorter waiting times for other services such as casualty treatment. He pledged 7,000 extra beds and 100 new hospitals by 2004.

'My friend' - Page 1