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The Belfast Health Trust has announced that more than 160 patients with advanced cardiac conditions will be recalled following a review that suggested some procedures may not have been necessary. This recall specifically involves individuals who received Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) devices—a more complex intervention than standard pacemakers—between 2007 and 2023.
According to the trust, the CRT devices themselves are safe, and patients implanted by cardiologist Dr Ernest Lau do not need to take immediate action. The review was initiated after a patient complaint in 2023, which led the trust to involve the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) to conduct an independent examination of cases dating back to 2007. While concerns about Dr Lau had been raised by colleagues as early as 2020, no formal action was taken until the recent complaint.
The Belfast Trust confirmed that Dr Lau remains employed but has not been treating patients for the last three years while the investigation is ongoing. The trust is currently contacting affected patients in batches, having recently sent letters to groups totaling up to 60 individuals, with the possibility that as many as 163 patients could be impacted. They are also reviewing records of deceased patients, although no adverse links have been established to date.
CRT devices, also referred to as biventricular pacemakers, are intended for patients whose heart ventricles do not beat in synchrony. Unlike a conventional pacemaker that addresses slow heart rhythms, CRT devices provide electrical impulses to coordinate the left and right ventricles, enhancing the heart’s efficiency. While common pacemakers are widely used in Northern Ireland, CRT devices are less frequently implanted. From a total of 684 people fitted with CRT devices during the review period, 163 cases were flagged for further assessment based on RCP criteria. Those affected are being offered either consultations with cardiology specialists or the option to attend if they prefer. The trust has started sending letters inviting patients to dedicated clinics, where some have already been seen.
Relatives of some patients have expressed considerable distress upon receiving the recall notification. Additionally, insiders have voiced frustration over the slow pace of the review process, which they say prolongs uncertainty for patients and causes tension among medical staff
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