PROFESSOR Roger Boyle, national director for heart disease, officially opened the University Hospital of North Staffordshire's heart attack centre and acute stroke unit yesterday.

He was treated to a tour of the heart attack centre before unveiling a plaque to mark the occasion. The centre opened in October 2007, when services for non-heart-related medical emergencies were merged into the accident unit on the City General site, leaving the cardiac unit standing alone.

Each month, it sees 300 patients suffering from a suspected or confirmed heart attack.

Professor Boyle then went on to the acute stroke unit, which was moved from the City General site to the Royal Infirmary to take it closer to the emergency department and CT scanner.

Since it opened in January last year, it has offered faster diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.