ANDOVER'S local health trust has refuted claims from the British Heart Foundation which suggest that only 39 per cent of heart attack patients in Hampshire receive life- saving cardiac rehab following an attack.

Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Cardiac rehabilitation saves lives but the majority of patients don't get the service.

"We are only making minimal progress towards national targets set over eight years ago. The health service needs to give cardiac rehabilitation the same priority they give to treating people with acute heart attacks."

But Winchester and Easleigh NHS Trust say all patients are offered rehab.

"All patients who come to Winchester hospital following a heart attack are seen by the cardiac rehab team; we believe that we see at least 90 per cent of heart attack patients," said Mandy Fitzgerald-Barron, a cardiac rehab specialist nurse, at the hospital.

"We also see patients for rehabilitation at Andover War Memorial Hospital.

"All suitable patients are invited to the exercise programme to start six to eight weeks after the attack. We believe 45 - 55 per cent of these patients take up the offer - it is patient's choice and they don't have to attend."

Cardiac rehabilitation gives heart patients a 26 per cent greater chance of surviving in the five years following their diagnosis by providing them with medical and lifestyle advice.