19.09.11
Royal Brompton hospital urged to withdraw judicial review
An independent panel of experts has rejected the Royal Brompton’s allegations that children’s respiratory services will not be able to continue when the paediatric unit is removed.
The ‘Safe and Sustainable’ proposals call for the on-site Paediatric Intensive Care Unit to be closed, and the panel have found that this will not affect respiratory services.
Adrian Pollitt OBE, who led the independent panel, said: “Based on the detailed evidence we were presented with by the Royal Brompton and the three other London Trusts we visited, the panel unanimously agrees with Safe and Sustainable that in the absence of an on-site Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) paediatric respiratory services would remain viable at the Royal Brompton hospital.”
But Dr Gillian Halley, consultant in paediatric intensive care and director of children's long term ventilation at the Royal Brampton said: “The alternative they propose may not even meet the minimum requirements of safe clinical standards, never mind best practice.”
In a recent consultation, 75% of public respondents supported the recommendation the surgical centres in London should be cut to two. Royal Brompton received minimal support to stay open.
The panel’s report will be submitted to the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), the decision-making body, ensuring members have adequate time to fully consider the findings before making any decisions about the future of children’s heart services.
No decisions on the future of children’s heart services in London or the rest of the country will be made until all relevant information has been made available to and carefully considered by the JCPCT.
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