A HEART-FAILURE patient has been told he can no longer receive the specialist heart care he needs from hospital.

John Gough, of Willow Avenue, Swanley, was diagnosed with heart failure in April last year and had been receiving aftercare at the Heart Function Clinic in Darent Valley Hospital before its services were discontinued in May.

A reduced portion of the services are now available from local GP surgeries in a move by the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Primary Care Trust to provide care closer to home.

Mr Gough, a medically retired HGV mechanic, told News Shopper he knew nothing about the changes until the day he called to re-arrange his morning appointment at the clinic.

The 59-year-old grandfather said: “It’s just unbelievable. It’s ridiculous to shut the clinic. It was reassuring having a direct line to them.

“Now it’s very scary. As much as my surgery is brilliant, they’re not heart specialists.

“Trying to get hold of a doctor is just about impossible anyway.”

A spokesman for the NHS Trust says patients with acute heart problems will continue to be treated at hospital while those suffering less severely will be monitored routinely by GPs.

He said: “Patients treated by GPs will have the support of the community heart failure specialist nurse.

“GPs will refer patients to the cardiac team at the hospital if their condition changes.”