Heart attack in Sandwell? Then you're going to hospital in Birmingham

All emergency coronary care is being centralised at City as bosses say the current system is 'unsatisfactory'.

But the move will mean longer ambulance journeys for many people living in Sandwell and members of Sandwell Healthwatch said they will monitor the situation closely.

Two new cardiac units will be set up at City Hospital in Dudley Road site to accommodate for the rise in patients.

Outpatient appointments will still take place at Sandwell General Hospital and Rowley Regis Community Hospital.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust today said it was confident housing emergency cardiac care at a single site would improve patient care.

Medical director Roger Stedman said: "The location of interventional cardiac care on one site will provide full emergency 24-hour cover, which runs for 365 days per year with improved access times from when patients arrive at hospital for emergency treatment until the time they receive the necessary interventional procedure.

"Members of the public are advised to dial 999 for emergency help if they experience severe chest pain. West Midlands Ambulance Service will bring all patients suspected of needing urgent interventional cardiac treatment straight to the catheter labs at City Hospital."

Ian McGarry, from Sandwell Healthwatch, which promotes the views of local people, said the organisation would be watching the changes closely.

He said: "The trust did come to us before they made the decision and it is something we will be monitoring and we will be looking for people who use the service to tell us their experiences.

"We have received reassurance that treatment won't be affected but it is something we will be keeping an eye on to make sure people are being treated the way they should.

"We have to take their word for it but we will monitor it and of any issues are raised we will issue recommendations to look at it again."

Trust chief executive Toby Lewis insisted the changes were necessary and that the views of people in Sandwell has been considered when making the decision.

The changes are due to come into force within weeks, with the new cardiac labs due to open at City Hospital before the end of the month.

Mr Lewis said: "The existing arrangements for cardiac care across our sites are unsatisfactory. So at the start of 2015 we engaged with local people about proposed service changes to locate all interventional cardiology services on the City Hospital site with the development of two new cardiac catheter labs. This will make our arrangements consistent with national best practice.

"Responses to the listening exercise were considered by the CCG governing body and the trust board who approved the service change proposals subject to consideration by the joint health overview and scrutiny committee, who have also had the opportunity to review the proposals.

"We are planning to open the new cardiac catheter labs in August which will mean that patients who need emergency interventional cardiac care will be taken directly to City Hospital for immediate treatment, by ambulance."