Heart patients from Plymouth are making a 500-mile round trip to have operations at a private hospital to help clear waiting lists.

Plymouth's Derriford Hospital cannot cope with the demand for surgery, but government money is paying for the operations to be carried out in London.

The surgeons who will carry out the operations are also from the Derriford Hospital and will travel to the capital to complete the treatment.

About 45 patients from the South West have so far had surgery in London because of a shortage of cardiac intensive care nurses and intensive care beds.

The hospital said it is not the ideal way to treat patients but it ensures continuity of care for those having treatment.

In my experience, it was excellent

Pete Savage, patient

Pete Savage, from Plymouth, had been waiting 10 months for triple bypass surgery.

The operation was performed by Derriford surgeon Terrance Lewis at the private Cromwell Hospital in London.

He said: "Mr Lewis carried the operation out. I believe he gave up a week of his leave to carry out these operations.

"In my experience, it was excellent. No problems with it whatsoever."

The government is paying �2.5m to treat 210 Plymouth patients in London over the next two years.

Patients are taken to and from London by ambulance. Partners are also looked after and put up in a nearby hotel.

The heart unit at Derriford cannot cope with the demand for operations and there are no private hospitals in the region capable of carrying out heart surgery.

A hospital spokesman said: "Many of our surgeons were familiar with the Cromwell Hospital because, prior to the heart unit opening in Plymouth, most of the surgery was done in London anyway."

Quicker treatment

The hospital trust accepts it is not ideal to have NHS surgeons spend annual leave performing private operations in London.

A spokesman said: "Continuity of care is very important and this is an initiative for local patients.

"We feel it is in their best interests to be operated on by the same team who have been looking after them before surgery and who will be looking after them following surgery."

There are plans for the expansion of Derriford's heart unit, but they will not be completed until 2005.