A father-of-three who urgently needs a triple heart bypass will have to wait at least 14 months for the operation.

Brian Savill, 45, of Arnstones Close, Colchester, could die if he has another heart attack before he gets a hospital bed.

He has been told the surgery will have a 95 per cent chance success but waiting for a date to get into theatre is taking its toll on him and his wife Jane and three children aged between seven and 13.

They have been so frustrated by the delay they have written to Tony Blair and Health secretary Alan Milburn who have not replied.

His GP Dr Helen James, who recently announced she is to quit over long patient waits, has been trying her best to get him up the long waiting list.

Mr Savill, an insulin dependent diabetic who works for Royal Mail in Eastgates, Colchester, but has been off sick for months, said: "It is so frustrating. I wake up every morning and think 'I am still alive' but I have heard about people who die before they get the operation.

"I have three children and they want to see their dad and I want to see them. I just want my life back."

He suffered his first attack in February 1997 followed a year ago by a second more major attack.

After this, he was told he needed the triple bypass operation at the London Chest Hospital in Bethnal Green - Colchester does not do heart surgery - but has yet to get a date.

Following intervention by the Colchester Primary Care Group he has just been told he may be seen in October or November, but that is not definite.

Mrs Savill said: "The wait is intolerable. We are under no illusions. While we prefer not to dwell on the subject, a third heart attack before surgery takes place could have fatal consequences."

Dr James, of the Ambrose Avenue surgery, Prettygate, said: "We have moved heaven and earth to try to get Mr Savill in. It is an urgent case and there is no logic too it."

A spokesman for the London Chest Hospital said, a year was about the average wait, though in other countries it is about six months.

He said: "We are working flat out. It is no consolation to Mr Savill or his family but there are a lot of other people in the same situation.

"It is difficult for people and there is no way of sugar-coating it."

North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin has pointed out that North Essex Health Authority has more people waiting for operations than a year ago.

Last week's Governemnt performance indicators showed that north Essex had the sixth largest inpatient waiting list in England compared to other health authorities.

Mr Jenkin said: "The time that people have to wait for operations is getting longer and longer. Labour promised to reduce waiting lists, but they have failed.

"The quality and hard work of the people in the NHS is not in doubt, but there is just not enough healthcare to go around."

Long wait for operation - Brian Savill

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.