The appointment of Dr Roger Boyle as 'heart tsar' is a huge personal compliment to the cardiologist. It is the ultimate tribute to his pioneering work in the field.

His promotion also reflects well on York District Hospital. The standards of heart care set here will soon be applied to the whole country.

Dr Boyle has embraced his new role with customary enthusiasm; he will need all his energy and drive to deliver what is expected of him.

Immense political capital is invested in his success. Health Secretary Alan Milburn has turned the battle against heart disease into a personal crusade. He has clearly been moved by a series of terrible tragedies highlighted in the press, like that of 38-year-old Ian Weir, of our sister paper The Northern Echo, who died of a heart attack after waiting months to see a consultant.

Mr Milburn has vowed to cut the number of fatalities by 200,000 within a decade. Dr Boyle is charged with delivering this health revolution. He has already made an important start, by drawing up a comprehensive framework for tackling coronary heart disease. Now there is the little matter of implementing it.

On the first day of the new strategy, everyone is talking positively of cutting waiting lists, establishing chest pain clinics, improving health education. These are all very worthy targets, even from a Government which likes to set a new target virtually every day.

However we have yet to learn exactly how this programme is to be funded. Recruiting and training more cardiologists, creating clinics and installing 700 new defibrillators costs money.

Dr Boyle said one of his duties would be "arguing with the Treasury for appropriate funding". That funding must be forthcoming if York's heart tsar is to be given a fighting chance in his battle against Britain's biggest killer.

see NEWS York doctor to be heart 'tsar'

2000 Newsquest (York) Ltd

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