ON Friday, February 20 at 12.15pm I was admitted to Blackburn Urgent Care Centre and two hours later to the Coronary Care Unit.

A doctor informed me I was in urgent need of a cardiac pacemaker, but this operation could not be performed until February 23.

However if my condition deteriorated, a temporary wire could be inserted, although this had potential to complicate the permanent implantation.

At 4pm on the Monday afternoon I was told the operation had been cancelled and rescheduled for Tuesday morning due to a busy workload of patients.

Ultimately my pacemaker was fitted and I was discharged on Wednesday, with the highest praise for the care and attention of the hard working staff on the Coronary Care Unit.

Whilst acknowledging the current climate of finite resources, spending five days in the Coronary Care Unit could have been significantly shortened by access to the cardiology facilities at the weekend for the insertion of the pacemaker.

Moreover this would have avoided the additional anxiety and distress caused by the subsequent delay in the operation and reduced risk of the procedure being undertaken as an emergency.

Such a measure would make a significant impact in making rhetoric reality ie Royal Blackburn Hospital a centre of excellence with the highest possible standard of care for patients.

JOHN F SMART, Colne.