HEART patients are to be treated closer to home thanks to a new cardiac centre being planned for Darent Valley Hospital.

The hospital in Darenth Wood Road is in the process of putting together plans for a heart centre to be built on the back of the hospital building.

Cardiac patients are often required to travel to London for treatment, which can also mean a long wait for an appointment.

But the new centre will mean less travelling for patients, shorter waiting times and in turn reduce the number of people requiring emergency treatment because of the long waits.

Members from the Department of Health's heart team, led by head of the team Roger Boyle, paid a special visit to the hospital on Monday to meet staff at the hospital responsible for delivering cardiac services to the community.

Sue Jennings, chief executive, said: "Planning for the new centre is well underway. The new building will bring together all of our cardiac services and will be a Centre of Excellence attracting specialist medical, nursing and diagnostic staff."

The centre will allow angiographies and angioplasties (the diagnosis and treatment of blocked arteries) and the fitting of internal pacemakers to regulate the heart rate, procedures currently performed in London.

Work on the centre is expected to begin some time next year.

Winston Martin, consultant cardiologist, said: "This is excellent news for local people, the new heart centre will enable us to treat our patients sooner, closer to home and at their local hospital.

"Patients will no longer experience delays whilst awaiting a bed in a London hospital."