St Peter’s celebrates two decades of interventional cardiology
The InHealth cardiac cath lab at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, reached its 20th anniversary in April. This first joint partnership was the vision of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust cardiologists Dr Peter Wilkinson and Professor Michael Joy OBE to bring interventional cardiology to the community.
InHealth interventional cardiology clinical lead Jackie Churchman worked alongside Dr Wilkinson and the trust’s medical director and executive lead for R&D Dr David Fluck to develop the service, initially providing coronary angioplasty and simple pacing procedures. In 20 years it has become an all-inclusive catheterisation suite encompassing a 10-bed day ward and two fully-equipped cath labs with direct 24/7 ambulance access for heart attack patients.
Advances in techniques and equipment have enabled the unit to undertake procedures including complex device implantation, treatment for cardiac rhythm disorders using ablation and cryotherapy catheters, and treatment for chronic coronary artery occlusion.
Dr Fluck said: “What has been so fantastic is that the angiography suite staff, the cardiac ward and department have always operated as one team. Over the years we have grown and developed the service and ensured that the infrastructure is modern and efficient enough to enable staff to deliver great care to patients.”
Picture: Cutting the celebration cakes are InHealth interventional cardiology clinical lead Jackie Churchman and medical director and executive lead for R&D for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Dr David Fluck, with staff from the cardiac cath lab.
Published on page 6 of the May 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.