THE much-vaunted and delayed use of life-saving heart drugs will be introduced in Wyre Forest in May.

The district will be one of the first in the country to have paramedics using vital clot-busting drugs as part of pre-hospital treatment.

They are seen as vital in the treatment of heart-attack patients being rushed to Worcester after the loss of Kidderminster Hospital's blue-light A&E department in September 2000.

Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service director of clinical services Brian Chambers said: "Wyre Forest will be the first district in this ambulance service area - and one of the first in the UK - to benefit from this technique.

"As the target date for achieving this programme is not until 2003, we feel we have made excellent progress in introducing it."

Fears had been growing among health campaigners in Wyre Forest as the drugs were first mooted four years ago and paramedics were expected to be trained last Autumn.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor welcomed the news but stressed campaigners had been promised the drugs would be introduced when the hospital was downgraded.

He said: "I am not happy about the fact it is nearly two years too late but it could have been delayed even further so I welcome its introduction.

"When you consider when we had our blue-light A&E the actual call to needle time was less than 30 minutes I do not think it compensates."

The call to needle time is taken from when an emergency call is made until the person is transported to hospital and treated.

Under the new system paramedics will use telemetry links to consult with doctors in Worcester on whether clot-busting treatment is necessary before taking the patient to hospital.

Health Concern vice-chairman Malcolm Cooper tackled the trust about current call to needle times at a meeting last week.

However, trust chairman Paul Leopold admitted they did not know the answer as it was getting to grips with collating figures from various hospitals.

But he insisted the time had reduced significantly compared to before.

Mr Cooper said: "I look forward to a very detailed answer. The figures were available some years ago and must have been updated in the interim period.

"I'm sure patients would be enlightened to receive this information sooner rather than later."

The introduction of the drugs follows a trial with three Kidderminster ambulances and two in Redditch over the last year.

The project will be extended throughout Worcestershire and Herefordshire during the year.