Wellington heart patients sent to Sydney

Wellington heart patients will be sent to a private hospital in Sydney, as the Capital and Coast District Health Board tries to cut its waiting list.

The board says it is initially looking at sending up to ten patients over the next three months - but may eventually send as many as 50 across the Tasman.

The hospital currently has 25 patients who have been waiting for longer than six months.

Spokesman Dr Barry Mahon says they want to get rid of the high priority backlog. He describes the Australian move as an appropriate one-off measure aimed at doing that.

- NEWSTALK ZB