CARDIAC patients across the Fylde can take heart as a hospital after-care service is expanded due to its soaring success.

The Cardiac Home Care Service provides health checks, reassurance and a listening ear to patients and their families after discharge from hospital following a bypass operation, valve replacement or oesophageal surgery.

It was set up by Blackpool Victoria Hospital's cardiac liaison sister Bernie McAlea in November 1997 and since then she has made more than 3,000 home visits to patients.

And the scheme has proved to be such a huge success that Victoria Hospital has now taken on a second cardiac liaison sister to work in the Preston area with plans to expand the service throughout the region.

Sister McAlea said: "We ask patients whether they have any problems or worries and offer information and advice. We can also check their blood pressure, do blood tests, ECGs and have a direct link back to the hospital in the rare event that they do need to be readmitted.

One patient to benefit from the service is Keith Christopher from St Annes who underwent a quadruple heart bypass in November 2000.

Sister McAlea visited Mr Christopher at home two days after he was discharged from hospital and discovered his blood pressure was high. This led to a number of visits over several weeks until his blood pressure was brought under control.

Mr Christopher said: "I feel that had I not had the constant care and monitoring at home by Sister McAlea then I may have ended up back in hospital. I would give both the hospital and home care service staff 10/10. The care and treatment I received both in hospital and at home was fantastic."