A revolutionary new machine aimed at getting suspected heart attack patients diagnosed and treated more quickly is being trialled at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department.

The Alere Triage point of care testing analyser is about the third of the size of a laptop and carries out two blood tests - 90 mins apart - which indicate whether or not a person has had a heart attack.

If blood levels are raised, the patient is transferred immediately to the hospital’s heart ward for further treatment – bypassing the current system which means a 12 hour wait on the medical admissions unit before a blood test can be carried out. Only then can a patient be discharged, or transferred to the cardiology unit if the test comes back positive.

A&E consultant, David Robinson, who discovered the new piece of equipment at an emergency conference last year, said: “There is no doubt this machine allows a speedier diagnosis in helping us identify and diagnose patients who have had a heart attack.

“It also avoids the need for those patients whose results come back negative to be admitted to hospital.”

In the last week 55 patients have used this machine and if the trial proves successful, and the machine is introduced to A&E on a permanent basis, it could help up to 140 Bradford patients a week.

One Bradford patient to benefit from the trial is George Williams, 68, from Laisterdyke, who was admitted to A&E with a suspected heart attack in the early hours of last Thursday.

When the bedside blood tested positive he was admitted to cardiology and seen by a heart consultant on his morning ward round.

Later that morning he had a coronary angiogram  (where under local anaesethic a small tube is passed through a main artery straight into the heart allowing doctors to see if there is any narrowing or blockages of the coronary arteries) and then he proceeded straight away to an angioplasty where medics inserted a balloon and stent (small metal tube) into the artery to stretch and unblock it.

By Friday lunchtime – 30 hours after being admitted to A&E – he was discharged home.

Mr Williams said: “The fear factor didn’t have time to come into it because it was all over so quickly. Everything was over so quickly, it was so fast and efficient it was unbelievable.

“You hear about patients having to wait around for procedures but that wasn’t the case in my experience.

“It was brilliant the service I received – it couldn’t have been any better. There was no hanging around and the treatment and procedures were excellent.“

Consultant cardiologist, Steven Lindsay, added: “We were able to see and treat Mr Williams in about 30 hours from start to finish which is great news -especially when you consider patients at other hospitals in the region are waiting a week or more for these procedures and have to be transferred to Leeds to have them..

“The new system has two distinct advantages – it accelerates the diagnosis and avoids unnecessary admissions for patients who do not need to be admitted.

“Our aim – if the machine is implemented fully – would be to treat and discharge most patients who need angioplasty after a heart attack within 72 hours of admission as it will help us deliver a more effective and efficient system of care for our patients which can only mean good news for heart patients across the city and beyond.

Approximately 30 A&E departments, mainly around London and in southern England, use the machine but Bradford is the first A&E department in the region to trail the Triage device.

Mr Robinson added: “At the end of the trial we will scrutinise the number of patients who have used the machine and evaluate it’s impact but all the indicators are that it’s an extremely beneficial tool to diagnose heart patients in Bradford quicker than ever,” said Mr Robinson.

While Alere product manager, Mike Farrell, added: “Emergency departments around the country are constantly under pressure to deal with increasing case loads whilst also seeing budgets capped and targets scrutinised more closely than ever. We know the Triage system can help to reduce some of these pressures and are delighted to see the benefits realised here in Bradford.”