WORK to expand the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory patient discharge facilities at Wigan’s Royal Albert Edward Infirmary has begun.

The extension has been paid for via Heart Beat Fund donations from people living in the Wigan borough.

The new discharge suite is set to open in October, when it will provide care for cardiac patients who have undergone diagnostic angiograms and interventional cardiac procedures.

Once the new build is completed it will offer a bespoke area for the patients to have an enhanced recovery in a quiet and relaxed environment, prior to their discharge home.

The facility will allow families and carers to be able to collect the patients from this area directly, rather than being transferred to the discharge lounge.

It will also provide patients with a television, surround sound music system and comfortable bespoke medical discharge chairs throughout this period of their recovery.

The new build will also include a consultation room to ensure conversations between patients, their families and carers with the nursing and medical staff following procedures are in private, ensuring confidentially and privacy is maintained.

The service will operate five days a week, with an extension to weekends in the future a possibility.

Carolyn Dereszkiewicz, head of nursing for scheduled care in medicine, said: “By extending our Cardiac Catheter Laboratory facilities we will be enhancing our patients' experience and ensuring their dignity and confidentiality continues to be maintained at all times.”