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BRISTOL IS NOW A NATIONAL “CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE” FOR HEART SURGERY

NHS patients anywhere in the country can “choose and book” the South West‘s biggest private hospital for cardiac surgery

Bristol‘s NHS and private sector hospitals‘ investment in cardiac services have made the city a national “centre of excellence” for heart surgery.

After the recent opening of the new NHS cardiac surgery facilities at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Spire Bristol Hospital has become England‘s first “choose and book” private hospital for NHS heart surgery patients.

This follows the opening of the hospital‘s fifth operating theatre, the upgrading of its unique intensive care unit, and the expansion of its high dependency unit.

Its eight cardiac surgeons and ten cardiologists are behind the hospital‘s new “Heart Centre” role, and its acceptance by the NHS for “choose and book” access to all patients.

Those patients, who can be resident anywhere in England, now have access to Spire Bristol Hospital for such cardiac surgical procedures as heart by-pass, valve replacement, and cardioversion (restoring normal heart rhythm).

The hospital is already performing more than 200 cardiac surgery cases per year, and is the South West‘s only private hospital to offer heart surgery and an intensive care unit.

Director of Spire Bristol Hospital, Rob Anderson, said: “This is a great moment for Bristol. Between the NHS‘s BRI and ourselves, Bristol is now a national ‘centre of excellence‘ for life-saving heart surgery.

“We work in close partnership – not in competition – with the NHS. Over the past year, we have provided complex surgery for more than 250 NHS patients.

“Our superb cardiac surgery outcomes, exceptionally low infection rates, and ability to provide rapid appointments, enable us to reinforce NHS delivery to heart patients, as well as our many patients covered by insurance or self-funding.

“The new ‘choose and book‘ facility now gives NHS patients throughout the country access to these benefits for urgent heart surgery.”

ENDS   20th JANUARY 2010

For further information contact Neil Fraser, Sturgess Van Damme, on 01275 349011 or email neil@sturgessvandamme.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Spire Bristol Hospital, The Glen is part of Spire Healthcare, the second largest private hospital provider in the UK with 36 hospitals and a total of 1,983 beds. Spire Healthcare treats 930,000 patients a year, employs 7,600 staff and works with over 3,000 medical consultants. For more information, please visit: www.spirehealthcare.comFor further information on the Glen‘s Heart Centre please visit www.heartcentrebristol.co.uk