Barts Heart Centre (BHC) is a recently formed venture (2015) created by the merger of cardiothoracic services from the London Chest Hospital, St Bartholomew’s Hospital and the Heart Hospital. This created the UK’s largest cardiothoracic centre with nearly all specialist cardiac services for North Central and North East London and beyond, as well as highly specialised national services.
Anaesthetic trainees rotating to Barts are exposed to most aspects of cardiothoracic anaesthesia and intensive care excluding transplantation. Most trainees rotate here for three months at intermediate and higher levels but there are plans to try to create 6 month posts in the future.
We undertake ~ 2000 cardiac cases per annum (CABG, valve replacements & repairs (including minimal access surgery), complex aortic surgery (including dissections) and adult congenital surgery); 1200 thoracic cases (including robotic assisted and other minimal access surgery); we have the biggest TAVI programme in the UK with 350 – 400 implants a year; and the largest EP service in Europe (~4000 cases per year with around 500 requiring general anaesthesia). We also have one of the busiest heart-attack centres in the UK.
Our three critical care units provide all aspects of care for cardiothoracic surgical and cardiology patients including extracorporeal support when required.
There are 45 anaesthesia/ICM consultants, 9 senior fellows, 18 middle grade (rotational) trainees and 16 SHO-grade doctors on the ICUs (8CMT and 8 junior fellows posts).
We have a local teaching programme for pre-fellowship trainees and extensive teaching and training in advanced techniques, including echocardiography for higher and advanced trainees.
Operating Theatres
8 theatres for cardiothoracic surgery
1 hybrid theatre
1 theatre for robotic surgery
10 cath labs
(GAs provided in 1-2 for EP and 1 hybrid for TAVI/structural intervention daily)
ITU Beds
ITU 1C: 16 cardiothoracic beds
ITU 1E: 11 cardiothoracic beds
HDU 1D: 12-14 beds
ITU 6A: 12-16 beds incl ECMO
CCU 3A: 6 HDU level
Surgical Specialties
Cardiac
Thoracic
Major aorto-vascular
Robotics (thoracic and soon cardiac)
Hybrid procedures
Interventional Cardiology
Electrophysiology
Structural Cardiology
Adult congenital cardiology (GUCH)
ECMO