23.10.12
Children’s heart units’ closure put on hold
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has ordered a review of the closure of heart surgery units at Leeds General Infirmary, London’s Royal Brompton and Glenfield hospital in Leicester.
This means that the plans to reduce the number of children’s heart surgery units in the UK, aimed at ensuring patient safety and quality care, have been put on hold once again after pressure from both hospitals and public campaigners.
The planned closure of four children’s heart surgery units is intended to ensure the most specialised and dedicated care. Reorganisation plans began over ten years ago, with medical professionals calling for fewer hospitals with more expertise to conduct surgery.
But several hospitals have protested against the closures. The Royal Brompton recently lost a judicial review, while the Save Our Surgery campaign at Leeds General Infirmary is seeking a judicial review in the near future.
Councillors from Lincolnshire and Leicestershire have also damned plans to close the Glenfield unit. Given the pressure from such groups, Hunt is to refer such plans to the independent panel reconfiguration panel, who will review the plans.
If approved, the reorganisation would reduce the number of hospitals with children’s heart surgery units from eleven to seven, with the following hospitals remaining: London’s Evelina and Great Ormond Street children's hospitals, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton.
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