Almost 100 NHS heart patients from Sussex are being sent to one of Britain's top cardiac hospitals as part of a drive to cut waiting lists.

The cardiac centre at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton is planning to send at least 90 patients to St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, over the next few months.

The move is part of a £100 million government campaign to reduce heart patient waiting lists under Patients' Choice.

About 180 patients have been waiting six months or more for an operation at the Royal Sussex.

They were contacted by staff there and asked if they would be prepared to travel for their operation to get it done more quickly.

About half said they were interested and the hospital hopes to send two people a week.

The Government has set a target for all hospitals to make sure no patients wait more than 12 months for heart surgery.

This target will reduce until a three-month target is set by 2005.

A hospital spokesman said: "It is part of the on-going NHS national plan to give patients more choice.

"Some patients prefer to wait and be treated in Sussex but those who would rather be seen more quickly have been given the option of going to London."

Seventeen hospitals in the UK and in Europe are taking part in the scheme, including King Edward VII hospital in Midhurst.