A potentially life-saving heart treatment that combats angina and heart attacks is soon to be available at Tauranga Hospital for Western Bay residents.
Patients requiring coronary artery stenting, also known as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, have been forced to travel outside the Bay of Plenty for treatment.
The procedure involves opening up narrowings or blockages of arteries supplying the heart.
Dr Barry Kneale, consultant cardiologist at Tauranga Hospital, performed the first stenting treatments at the hospital on Friday.
Tauranga Hospital is offering the new service after months of working with Waikato Hospital and the Midland Cardiac Network.
"Putting everything in place has been a huge team effort with Waikato, involving supervision, mentoring and training of staff," Dr Kneale said.
Dr Kneale has performed the service in the United Kingdom and Waikato.
"The local and national cardiac networks recognise the need to improve access to cardiac procedures.
"Through a co-operative development within the region, we have developed this quality service which will benefit Bay of Plenty patients as well as contributing to improved access to services overall."