A new £2.3 million catheter lab will be built at Bradford Royal Infirmary to provide state-of-the-art facilities for patients with heart problems.

The new cardiac unit, where more than 1,000 patients a year are expected to be treated, will be among the most advanced of its kind in the county.

It will be built alongside the coronary care unit (CCU) on ward 22 and will provide a dedicated x-ray laboratory and day-case unit for cardiac procedures.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals is in the process of finalising plans for the new lab which will open in spring 2014.

A further £500,000 will also be spent on the refurbishment and redevelopment of the cardiology ward and CCU, bringing the overall cost of the project to £2.8 million.

Doctors will use the new catheter lab to carry out invasive procedures such as angiograms and the insertion of stents, as well as planned and emergency pacemakers. The new unit will ensure more patients are treated in Bradford, rather than having to travel to the regional cardiac centre at Leeds General Infirmary.

Dr Steven Lindsay, lead heart clinician for Bradford Teaching Hospitals, said: “The new catheter lab will provide a focal point for heart patients requiring invasive investigations or procedures to manage their condition and adds weight to our ambition to develop a 24-7 heart attack intervention service in Bradford.

“Currently, patients requiring emergency intervention are transferred to Leeds out-of-hours.

“We are delighted to have secured this substantial investment from the Foundation Trust. It ensures that Bradford patients will receive their heart procedures within a state-of-the-art facility using the latest innovative equipment that is available on the market today.”

The new cardiac unit will provide innovative coronary imaging equipment which will produce better images with less radiation for patients.

Dr Lindsay added: “The transfer of patients from ward 22 to the existing cath lab is not ideal as it involves transfers to other parts of the hospital and lift journeys that are inconvenient for patients and time-consuming for staff. By moving the catheter lab to ward 22 and increasing our day-case beds during the refurbishment, we will be able to see an additional two patients a session while improving the patient experience at the same time.”

Funding for the new unit has come from the capital fund which provided £1.8 million, with an additional £540,000 coming from the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund.

Chairman David Richardson said: “Being diagnosed with heart conditions is one of the toughest things that anyone can face.

“Having these state-of-the-art facilities next door to CCU is fantastic as it will help expand our services to patients and give them the added reassurance that they will be receiving the best care possible.”