Campaigners welcome by-pass surgery plan

A plan by Northern Ireland’s power sharing government to wipe out waiting lists for heart by-pass surgery in the province will provide fresh hope to those who need the crucial operation, campaigners claimed today.

Stormont sources said that ministers have been considering flying hundreds of people out of Northern Ireland for cardiac surgery in a bid to deal with the problem of waiting lists.

Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Association chief executive Andrew Dougal welcomed the plan, which is expected to be announced at Stormont later this week, and could involve transporting between 500 and 600 people to other parts of the UK and Europe at a cost of between £5 million and £8 million.

‘‘If additional money is made available, it will make a huge difference to those waiting for surgery and also their families,’’ he said.

‘‘Research by us has shown the great stress and anxiety endured by individuals waiting for surgery.

‘‘Being on the waiting list places great restrictions on sufferers’ lives. They cannot plan holidays because they fear missing the phone call when they are away.’’

Northern Ireland has the worst waiting list figures in the UK and Europe, with 58,000 people awaiting medical procedures at the end of last year.

According to figures released by Northern Ireland Health Minister Bairbre de Brun in March, 8,300 people have waited more than 12 months for heart surgery or 18 months in other specialities.

Heart disease remains a major problem, with a higher incidence in the province than other parts of the UK.

Recent research by the University of Ulster claimed the lengthy wait for cardiac surgery can impact on a patient’s recovery after a procedure.

A study of 70 patients over a period of seven years who waited an average of 13 months for surgery showed a marked improvement in anxiety levels and their quality of life after the operation.

However those who had the most traumatic time on the waiting lists showed the least improvement.

In February, a group of patients and their families met Ms de Brun to demand shorter waiting times.

The delegation from the Cardiac Support Groups’ Forum called for other improvements in treatment.

The Sinn Fein Health Minister secured in March £224 million in additional funding to reduce waiting lists, improve access to cardiac surgery and support children’s and community services.

It is understood the idea of flying heart patients to hospitals outside Northern Ireland for treatment has been floated in Cabinet by First Minister David Trimble.

Patients will be offered the chance to stay or travel to hospitals in England, Scotland or further afield for surgery.

A Stormont source said: ‘‘It would really be taking things on a different plain.

‘‘It would be the Executive finding an imaginative solution to real problems and on a basic humane level, it would mean alleviating the distress suffered by the hundreds of people on waiting lists.’’

Mr Dougal said if patients were offered the chance to travel, they should also have access to be people who have undergone surgery abroad to allay their fears.

He also said: ‘‘We also need money to go towards upgrading cardiac services at the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast which has fallen behind in the number of operations it should carry out.’’