In this service, we look after people who have problems with their heart. This could be heart failure, where the heart struggles to pump blood around the body properly. Or it could be heart disease. This is where the arteries in the heart get blocked. This can happen for a number of reasons.

You can find out more about these heart conditions here:

What services do we provide?

We look after people in an emergency if they are having a heart attack. We also provide planned services to help people live well with their heart condition. Click on the services below to find out more.

  • Primary PCI
    We use primary PCI to treat patients who need urgent treatment for a heart attack. It is a quick procedure to clear any blockages and restore blood flow to the heart. This takes place in our cardiac cath lab in Sunderland. We are one of only three Trusts in the region to do this.
  • Pacemaker implantation
    We use pacemakers to help people if their heart does not beat at the right pace. It is a small device that we put in the chest. It sends electric pulses to your heart to make sure it beats regularly. We do this in our cardiac cath labs on both hospital sites. 
  • Cardiac tests and imaging
    We use a range of tests and scans to find out what is wrong with your heart. These include:
    • Cardiac CT – This scan helps us to see the heart's arteries. We use it to look for any blockages or narrowing of the arteries. It also helps us to see any calcium deposits which may be a cause for concern.
    • Cardiac MRI – This is a more specialist scan to assess the structure and function of the heart. It takes detailed pictures of the heart muscle, valves, and blood vessels. We are one of only three Trusts in the region to do this.
    • Coronary angiogram – This is where we use a small tube to insert dye into your blood stream. We then take X-ray pictures of the heart to see how the dye moves around your heart. We do this in our cath labs on both hospital sites. If we find a problem, we can often fix it there and then.
    • ECG (Electrocardiograph) – An ECG shows us how your heart is working. It is an easy test to do. We put small sticky patches called electrodes on your chest, arms, and legs. These connect to a machine which shows us how fast your heart is beating and the rhythm.
    • Cardiac perfusion scan – We use this test to see how well blood flows to your heart muscle. We will measure your heart while you walk on a treadmill. Or we might give you a medicine to make your heart work harder. We use a dye and a special camera to see where the blood is flowing.
    • Echocardiograms (Echo) – This is an ultrasound scan which shows us a moving picture of your heart. We can see the size and shape of your heart chambers and the thickness of your heart walls. It also shows how well the valves are opening and closing. We use this to keep an eye on various heart conditions and find new ones.
    • Exercise tolerance test – This is also known as a stress test. We look to see how well your heart works when you do physical activity. You will walk on a treadmill or ride an exercise bike while we monitor your ECG.
    • Cardiac monitoring – We may need to track how your heart works at home and in your normal life. We will ask you to wear a remote monitoring device to do this. We may also ask you to record and monitor your blood pressure.
  • Outpatient and follow up care
    We provide a range of different clinics to support with your ongoing care. You will see a specialist in your heart condition. Together, we will review your symptoms and agree a plan to look after you and your heart. As part of your ongoing care, we will monitor your heart with tests and scans. We may see you in person at a clinic or via a telephone or video appointment.
  • Cardiac rehabilitation 
    We have a specialist team who will look after you as part of your rehab. We see patients who are still in hospital and people who need follow up care. We also visit patients at home. We will support you:
    • to recover if you have had a heart attack. 
    • to live well if you have a long-term heart problem. 
    • to prepare if you are coming in for a planned procedure on your heart.
  • We provide rehab in a gym setting and do some of our tests to review your heart in a gym setting too. We will look at how well your medicines are working and review your symptoms. We will also help you to track and measure your heart using the My Heart app.
  • Heart failure service 
    Our heart failure service looks after people in all care settings and at home. If you have a diagnosis of heart failure, we will support you to live well with your condition. We have a dedicated clinic for people who have advanced heart failure. We also care for people at the end of life.​​​​​

We have state-of-the-art cath labs on both of our sites.
If you need to stay in hospital after your procedure, this will be on the following wards:

  • Ward 6 - South Tyneside (click here).
  • Ward B22 - Sunderland (click here).

In Sunderland we have a Chest Pain Assessment Unit (CPAU) (click here). This is where we assess patients who arrive at hospital with urgent heart problems. We also have a Coronary Care Unit (click here). You will stay here if you have a more serious heart problem. 

If you need to contact us about an appointment, please read the letter sent to you. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your appointment. You can call the team to do this on 0191 541 0101 or click here to rearrange your appointment. 
To contact our heart services please use the contact details below:

In a heart emergency always call 999.

We run outpatient clinics from lots of Trust locations (click here). You can find the details of these locations below and how to get here. Your appointment letter will let you know which location to go to.

Our senior team in Cardiology

  • Clinical Director - Dr Mickey Jachuck

  • Divisional Director - Angela Wadmore
  • Directorate Manager – Fiona McKinley
  • Lead Matron - 

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