Heart doctor nominated for top award

Dr Nayyar Naqvi, a consultant cardiologist for Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, is in the running in the lifetime achievement category at the NHS70 Parliamentary Awards.

He has already received the honour from the NHS in the North and will now vie with other regional champions from around the country for the national award.

The winners will be announced during a glittering ceremony being held at the Palace Of Westminster on Wednesday afternoon.

Dr Naqvi, who has worked in the borough since 1979, said: “It has been the guiding principles of my life to serve my fellow human beings. This is a tremendous accolade and I am overwhelmed and very proud.”

He was nominated for the prize by Wigan MP Lisa Nandy.

She said: “Dr Naqvi is a much loved, well respected surgeon whose commitment and passion enabled us to raise £3m in public donations and build a leading, life-saving heart unit in Wigan.”

Dr Naqvi was among 10 regional champions named from 217 entries.

Since moving to Billinge Hospital as a junior doctor in 1979, he has worked to revolutionise the way in which heart problems are treated.

He came across the term “Wigan heart syndrome”, which was applied to any end-stage heart failure, and made it his life’s mission to improve the lives of patients with cardiac problems.

He set up a public fund-raising appeal in 1981, which paid for the first cardiac catheter unit at Wigan Infirmary.

Earlier this year, an extension to the unit was opened, which was funded entirely by public donations after Dr Naqvi launched an appeal