A TEAM of specialist nurses is successfully fighting heart disease in one of the worst affected areas in the country.

Nancye Carr, Helen Wilkinson and Susan Husband have spent the past year working to combat the disease in Derwentside, County Durham.

Instances of heart disease in the district are 41 per cent higher than the national average.

Nurse Carr, a coronary heart disease nurse, said: "In the past, people in this area appeared to have worked hard, but they also played hard.

"This involved drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking, and eating what today would be considered the wrong kinds of foods. We think this would possibly contribute to high levels of heart disease in Derwentside."

Dr John Young, the GP spearheading the project, said: "There is a high incidence of heart disease in the area and we hope to reduce this in patients at highest risk by inviting them to clinics run by our nurses at their local GP surgery."

The project aims to offer better care for heart patients and to help reduce heart disease through the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Since their appointment by Derwentside Primary Care Trust last year, the nursing team has set up 12 successful Healthy Heart clinics at doctors' surgeries across the district, which aim to reduce the risk of someone with heart disease from suffering other heart-related illnesses.

The nurses check patients' medication, and encourage them to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The clinics also provide an opportunity for patients to talk about their concerns and find out more about their heart problem.

Nurse Carr said: "We are already well on the way to seeing everyone in Derwentside with a coronary heart disease problem within the year.

"Our next step is to further develop locally-based services such as more options for cardiac rehabilitation and supporting people immediately following diagnosis of a cardiac problem.

"We believe that by everyone working together and involving the patient and their family, we can provide services that patients want and help reduce the incidence and impact of heart disease in Derwentside."

The nurses are already working on a programme to help patients with heart problems resume an active lifestyle. The project, in partnership with Derwentside Leisure, runs at Belle Vue leisure centre, Consett.

A similar scheme is to be introduced soon in the Louisa Centre, in neighbouring Stanley.