New Cardiology clinics available at Cromer Hospital

Cardiology services at the Cromer and District Hospital are being expanded, with the introduction of a new out-patient clinic and additional echocardiography clinics.

A new fortnightly cardiology out-patient clinic will start on 19th November. This clinic is aimed at patients who have been referred to a hospital specialist by their GP for further investigations and for patients who require follow-up appointments after they have had treatment or a procedure for cardiac problems.

The additional echocardiography clinics led by Charles Graham mean patients from North Norfolk referred from their GP for ultra-sound scans of the heart will be seen at Cromer. Patients who need more complex investigations and procedures such as angiograms and angioplasties will continue to be seen at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Dr Tim Gilbert, Clinical Director and Cardiology Consultant will be running the new general cardiology out-patient clinic.

He said: “This is an enormous step for the Trust and means more patients from North Norfolk will be able to see hospital specialists closer to their homes. We’ve recognised that there is the demand to have these cardiac services in North Norfolk and we have been able to introduce these extra clinics because of the improved facilities that are now available at Cromer.”

MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, said: “This is really good news for North Norfolk. It will make a real difference for patients. This means that more people will be able to avoid a long trip to the Norfolk and Norwich and instead attend a clinic in Cromer. The new hospital in Cromer is a fantastic local facility. It's great that having the new hospital is enabling the NNUH to do more work closer to home.”

70 year old Mrs Taylor from Mundesley, said: “I had a pacemaker put in in Norwich in October and the care was very good. I will be going to Cromer to see Dr Gilbert for a follow-up later this month. Cromer is only seven miles away, so it’s a lot easier for me to get there. A relative would normally take us to Norwich, so having this service in Cromer will make it a lot easier for me.”

In addition to these cardiology clinics, Cromer Hospital also offers a pre-assessment clinic for patients who are due to have a routine or elective cardiac procedures, a pacemaker clinic and a rehabilitation clinic for patients who are recovering after treatment.