Bradford's medical teams are fighting back in the battle against heart disease and helping to save lives.
National heart 'tsar' Roger Boyle, on a visit to the city, praised the care heart patients are receiving in the district and said Bradford was the area others should look to emulate.
Dr Boyle, who is national director of heart disease, said doctors and nurses working in Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust made sure all patients with heart disease were properly monitored.
He said: "Bradford is seeing a reduction in heart deaths and patients suffering heart attacks. The overall quality of life of heart patients is much improved as a result of the hard work being done in this field."
Dr Boyle was in Bradford to present an award to the Keeping Hearts Healthy Service, which is run by Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust and covers a population of 150,000 from 24 GP practices in communities including Cullingworth, Harden, Wilsden, Allerton, Denholme, Queensbury, Clayton, Odsal, Great Horton, Buttershaw and Holme Wood.
He also handed over a £10,000 cheque to staff involved in the project as part of their prize for winning the coronary heart disease category of the Northern and Yorkshire Excellence Modernisation Awards 2002.
Dr Barbara Hakin, chief executive of the primary care trust, said the service meant every GP practice within Bradford South and West employed specialist nurses to work alongside doctors to prevent heart disease and help sufferers.
A register of heart patients enables them to be called in every 12 months for checks. The service also picks up people at risk of developing heart disease, like those with a family history, high blood pressure or raised cholesterol. They are also monitored and offered healthy-living advice, like stopping smoking or help with weight loss.
Patients who have had heart surgery are helped with any physical or emotional problems afterwards, and a package of care is available for those waiting for heart surgery.
Dr Hakin said: "This project will have saved hundreds of lives.
"I am so proud of all the doctors and nurses who, as part of enormous teamwork, have improved the health of tens of thousands of patients."
e-mail: claire.lomax
@bradford.newsquest.co.uk
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