A SPECIALIST heart and lung centre is being adapted to care for stricken Covid-19 patients as it emerged Basildon is one of the worst hit areas in the region.

Basildon Hospital’s state-of-the-art cardiothoracic centre has been divided to care for coronavirus patients as well as continuing to treat people with serious heart problems.

The specialist unit has its own scanners and X-ray technology separate from the main hospital making it ideal to cope with virus-stricken patients.

A hospital spokesman said those who have serious heart conditions, including heart attacks will still be brought to the centre for specialist treatment.

He said: “The intensive care unit at the Cardiothoracic Centre at Basildon has been split into two separate areas.

“One separate area is for Covid-19 patients and the other allows us to continue to run an emergency cardiac service for Essex.

“This includes out of hospital cardiac arrests and patients requiring emergency cardiac or vascular surgery.”

The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre provides specialist treatment for people with both heart or lung problems.

The purpose-built centre has some of the most modern cardiothoracic treatment facilities in the country and has direct access to renal support therapy, vascular surgery and surgical trauma teams in the general hospital.

Controversy has centred on protective equipment for staff at all hospitals in recent weeks, with questions recently being asked about safety levels at certain wards at Basildon Hospital.

Responding to claims the centre and the hospital does not have enough personal protective equipment for staff, the spokesman added: “The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre at Basildon Hospital has not run out of personal protective equipment at any point.

“All of our hospitals continue to receive regular supplies of personal protection equipment and we are absolutely committed to keeping our staff safe.”