Patients with heart problems will no longer have to make a round trip to Ipswich for a diagnosis after new equipment was presented to Felixstowe Community Hospital.

Ipswich Star: Presentation of the new ECG machine to Felixstowe Community Hospital by members of the Rotary Club of Felixstowe Picture: CHARLOTTE BONDPresentation of the new ECG machine to Felixstowe Community Hospital by members of the Rotary Club of Felixstowe Picture: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Members of the Rotary Club of Felixstowe raised funds for the ECG (electrocardiogram) machine and club president Dougie Pipe presented it to Renee Ward, lead nurse of the Falls and Frailty clinic for the Felixstowe Team at the hospital in Constable Road.

The machine is the latest model on the market and its purchase was recommended by Dr Stephen Feltwell, senior partner of the Grove Medical Centre.

It will be connected to the Ipswich Hospital and the local Felixstowe surgeries to enable early diagnosis of conditions such as irregular heart rate and rhythm, enlargement of the heart due to high blood pressure (hypertension) or evidence of a previous heart attack (myocardial infarction), to avoid patient journeys to Ipswich.