Plans to develop a new £56million cardiac centre for Essex, based at Basildon Hospital, have taken a step forward with approval by the Essex Strategic Health Authority Board of an outline business case for the project.

Essex Strategic Health Authority Chief Executive, Terry Hanafin, said: "This is a marvellous scheme which will have a huge impact across Essex. It will provide us with a big expansion in capacity and facilitate the setting up of an excellent cardiac network across the county."

It is hoped that the centre will be open by the summer of 2007 and will carry out up to 1,800 operations a year.

The new centre will employ nearly 600 new staff and perform a variety of cardiac and thoracic surgery, including coronary by-pass grafts.

Published Tuesday, August 5, 2003

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