.

Cardiac (heart) services

Images showing some of the cardiology services across East Kent Hospitals

At East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust we diagnose and treat a full range of heart disorders, including:

  • coronary artery disease

  • cardiac arrhythmias

  • cardiac failure

  • stable angina

  • heart attack

  • unstable angina

  • valvulvar heart disease

  • cardiomyopathies

  • syncope

  • black-outs.

We also insert pacemakers and implantable devices.

Procedures and tests we can offer

  • Trans-oesophageal echocardiogram - a procedure to assess the structure of the heart.

  • Cardioversion - a procedure to correct heart rhythms.

  • Angiography - used to diagnose the efficiency of the blood supply to the heart.

  • Angioplasty - a procedure to treat narrowing of the arteries surrounding the heart (currently available at William Harvey Hospital only).

Referral to our hospitals

Your GP can refer you to our heart centres and heart specialists if he or she is concerned you may have a problem with you heart.

Outpatient request for cardiac investigation

Request for echocardiogram

If you suspect you are experiencing a heart attack, please ACT. Call an ambulance - the quicker you get to hospital, the quicker we can treat you and the more effective your treatment will be.

Find out more about heart attacks and their treatment.

We have invested heavily in our heart services over recent years to bring you state-of-the-art facilities for heart procedures at the East Kent Cardiac Catheter Suite (William Harvey Hospital, Ashford) and the Heart Centre (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Margate).

Outpatient heart services

Outpatient services (services that do not require a stay in hospital, e.g. a consultation with your doctor or tests) are available at:

We provide an extensive cardiac rehabilitation programme for people who have suffered heart attacks or have had any surgery on the heart.
Name
Doulton, Dr Tim
Job title
Consultant Nephrologist
Specialty
Nephrology (kidney/renal medicine) Hypertension – Dr Doulton is an Accredited Specialist of the British Hypertension Society
Special interests
Hypertension: secondary, resistant & drug-intolerant 
 
Vasculitis 
 
General nephrology & chronic kidney disease 
 
Dialysis (haemodialysis & peritoneal dialysis) 
 
Clinical Research Network: Kent, Surrey & Sussex (CRN:KSS) Specialty Group Lead for Renal Disorders 
 
UK Kidney Research Consortium (UKKRC) Cardio-renal CSG co-chair Cardio-renal Clinical Study Group - Kidney Research UK) 
Education and career history
Tim has been a full-time NHS Consultant Nephrologist since 2009 and was Director of Research and Development for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust from July 2012 to March 2020. 
 
During his higher specialist training in London and the South-East he undertook three years of research under Professor Graham MacGregor in the Blood Pressure Unit, St. George’s University of London and was awarded his MD in November 2007. 
 
His current clinical and research interests include hypertension (high blood pressure), dialysis and vasculitis, and is the Principal Investigator on numerous multi-centre NIHR Portfolio studies as well a co-applicant for the IsoFIT study with colleagues from CCCU and University of Kent. He is the CRN:KSS co-lead for renal disorders research across the Kent, Surrey & Sussex region. 
 
Tim has published widely and is first author on a number of original publications, and has written and edited the hypertension chapters in Pocket Prescriber (eds. Nicholson TRJ, Singer DRJ. Hodder Arnold, London) from 2nd edition (2006) onwards. 
 
University: St George’s, University of London 
 
Qualifications: BSc, MB BS, MRCP (London), MD 
 
Learned Societies: Renal Association, British and Irish Hypertension Society 
Location
Kent & Canterbury - Hypertension, accepting new patient referrals; vasculitis, not open to direct new patient referrals from Primary Care 
 
William Harvey Hospital, Ashford – General Nephrology 
 
Folkestone – General Nephrology 
Contact details
Joanna Buczkowska, 01227 864229, j.buczkowska@nhs.net

Information about our hospitals

Please click the links below for lots of information about visiting our hospitals (including travel and parking):

*Please note that the Cardiology unit at Kent and Canterbury Hospital has moved and is now opposite Ambulatory Care. Please ask a member of staff for directions.

East Kent Cardiac Catheter Suite (William Harvey Hospital)

  • Tel: 01233 616830

The Heart Centre (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital)

  • Tel: 01843 235042