Heart surgery centre celebrates 20 years

Staff marked the centre's 20th birthday this month

There have been thousands of cardiac surgeries, hundreds of nurses recruited and a staff wedding since a medical centre opened 20 years ago.

Wolverhampton's £60m Heart and Lung Centre at New Cross Hospital started surgeries on patients in October 2004. Since then, more than 18,000 cardiac surgeries have been carried out. About 700 serious heart attacks are treated each year.

Sister Jo Hazle was in charge of recruitment, which included going to the Philippines for 180 nurses, and procurement when it opened, which she said gave her many sleepless nights.

"But it all came good and it’s been massively successful. Most of the staff have stayed here," she added.

Dr Stephen Billing met his wife when they both worked at the centre and they married six years ago

The centre was set up after lobbying by then Wolverhampton South East MP Dennis Turner, backed with a petition from a local coronary support group.

Transplants are the only heart service they do not do, the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust says.

The birthday bash to mark the 20th anniversary on Friday saw the first "public" appearance of a married couple who met while working at the centre.

Consultant anaesthetist Antonella Meraglia and consultant cardiologist Dr Stephen Billing tied the knot six years ago.