Chief executive officer Peter Johnson this week advised Hunter New England Local Health District recently approved amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations to reflect that the hospital would be undertaking more procedural cardiac activity at its Cardiac Catheter Laboratory in Taree.

Approval of the amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding was a necessary step for the hospital in its process to secure the Interventionist Procedure Licence from the Department of Health. The hospital completed its mandatory 12-month trial period on May 28 and it now seeks the licence to be able to extend its services beyond diagnostic procedures to be able to do interventional work such as the insertion of stents into coronary arteries to open blockages.

"We have set up an implementation committee to ensure establishment of the service and the delivery of safe outcomes for patients is progressed," Mr Johnson said. It is expected the licence will be granted.

The issue of public patient access to future cardiac services that may be offered by the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory has secured the support of member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead.

In March Mr Bromhead stated that he could "see no reason why public patients should be required to attend a hospital in Newcastle when the cardiac catheter laboratory is available in Taree and there are none in Port Macquarie."

ainslee.dennis@fairfaxmedia.com.au