A COUNCILLOR who hit out at the NHS after he almost died following a heart attack has apologised. Back in June, Jon Beckerman was taken to the QE2 Hospital in WGC suffering from high blood pressure. A scan revealed he had a blood clot, but he was told

A COUNCILLOR who hit out at the NHS after he almost died following a heart attack has apologised.

Back in June, Jon Beckerman was taken to the QE2 Hospital in WGC suffering from high blood pressure.

A scan revealed he had a blood clot, but he was told that no clot-busting drugs were kept at the hospital.

He was then taken by ambulance to the Lister in Stevenage - but suffered a cardiac arrest en route.

However, paramedics resuscitated him and he was successfully operated on when he arrived.

After leaving hospital, Cllr Beckerman, who represents Sherrards on Welwyn Hatfield Council, criticised the fact that clot-busting drugs were not kept at the QE2.

Speaking in the WHT on June 24, he said: "If I had been driving my car by myself, I would have been dead."

But now, after being given a guided tour of the state-of-the art cardiac facilities at the Lister, Cllr Beckerman, 60, has held his hands up and admitted the care he received was "first class".

"The approach now is that you are not given clot-busting drugs," he said. "They don't work with everybody and increase your chances of stroke.

"I was taken from the QE2 to the Lister. I went straight into theatre from the ambulance and I was back in recovery within 45 minutes of getting into the hospital.

"I thought that was amazing."

He added: "I don't like to see services leaving the QE2, but to have a better service in one central place certainly worked for me."

Hospital boss Nick Carver said: "I am delighted Mr Beckerman had a good experience and is recovering well.

"This is a good example of where there is a benefit to be obtained by concentrating specialist services. We would not be concentrating services if there was not a benefit for patients.