BBC News Online: UK: Scotland

New heart team for Scotland

The move is part of the contingency plans drawn up after the resignation of the country's only heart transplant surgeon, Surendra Naik, from Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Health Minister, Susan Deacon, ordered a report from the trust when it emerged that Scotland's transplant programme would have to be suspended and the 26 patients on the waiting list transferred to Newcastle.

Ms Deacon is expected to respond to the trust's contingency plans within the next few days.

Patients waiting for a new heart will have to travel to the Freeman Hospital if a suitable organ becomes available.

Travel 'unacceptable'

Last week, trust officials were confronted by patients and their relatives angry at the suspension of the service following Mr Naik's resignation.

Scottish co-ordinator for the Transplant Support Network, Anne Dundas, said that asking heart patients to travel elsewhere for surgery was unacceptable.

"There are a lot of patients waiting on transplants and patients like myself who've had transplants.

David Clark, of Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, said the decision would have serious repercussions.

"The transplant is only the start of the process, patients need a great deal of specialist care and support afterwards and obviously the closer that is to their home the better" he said.