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A hospital has opened a new facility for cardiac patients.

Hampshire Hospitals Heart Centre is based at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and aims to help with the increasing number of patients requiring cardiac interventions.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was part of its "ongoing commitment to providing outstanding care" to residents in the county.

Chief executive Alex Whitfield said she was "incredibly excited" to open the new centre.

She added: "This state-of-the-art facility, including our two new cardiac catheterisation labs, will help to provide life-changing treatments for thousands of patients each year and allows us to meet current and future demand in providing efficient and sustainable health services for our growing population."

The trust said the increased capacity would allow it to "provide curative treatments for abnormal heart rhythms currently delivered in other hospitals and includes a dedicated entrance for ambulances to enable direct emergency access".

The purpose-built centre was given planning permission in August 2021, with construction work starting a month later.