CARDIAC care in Darlington has received a major boost thanks to the efforts of one of the town's doctors.

Ahmet Fuat, a GP at Carmel Surgery and clinical lead for coronary heart disease with Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT), has gained a distinction in his post graduate diploma in cardiology.

He has also been made a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs after being nominated for his work in the town over the past 19 years.

Now he hopes to develop new primary care services in Darlington.

Just over a year ago, as part of a national pilot project, he joined 14 GPs from across the country on a new post graduate cardiology course at Bradford University.

Eight graduated and they have now helped shape the diploma for the future. From now, doctors will spend 18 months on the course. Dr Fuat will be one of the lecturers.

The 45-year-old graduated from Aberdeen University in 1982 and moved to Darlington in 1986.

As well as advising the PCT and being in practice at Carmel Surgery, he runs a heart failure diagnostics service at the hospital with consultant Jerry Murphy.

"With this new diploma I can expand the service looking at new areas," he said. "I would like to introduce clinics for high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythm to take the pressure off secondary care."