HEART patients will be better informed about their trips to a specialist clinic with a new information leaflet.

The pamphlet will be given to people before they attend the heart treatment clinic at Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

The leaflet is one of the first projects completed by a new team of patients, doctors and nurses, technical and clerical staff which was formed in November to find ways to improve heart failure services in the Durham Dales.

The clinic is led by Dr Ali Mehrzad who has taken a leading role in developing heart treatment services.

The team has identified a series of schemes to work on over the next six to 12 months.

Dr Stewart Findlay, chairman of the Primary Care Trust professional executive committee, and Dr Gordon Terry, cardiologist at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, are giving advice to make sure the right people are involved and that the work builds on local strengths and previous developments.

The team was set up as part of the coronary heart disease collaborative programme.

The principles of promoting health, fitness and better care for heart patients are similar to The Northern Echo's Chance To Live campaign, which is supported by Wear Valley District Council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and Northumbrian Water.

Karina Hogg, project manager for Durham Dales Primary Care Trust, said: "Work is already under way on seven projects involving more than 50 people and the ideas keep coming, big and small. The people who do the day-to-day work know what needs to be changed. The project approach provides some of the tools and makes the links."