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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Inquiry into child surgery deaths | Inquiry into child surgery deaths |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An investigation has begun at an Oxford hospital where children's heart surgery was suspended after four recent deaths. | An investigation has begun at an Oxford hospital where children's heart surgery was suspended after four recent deaths. |
| The John Radcliffe Hospital said the "very sick children" were all operated on by the same surgeon in procedures during the past three to four months. | |
| Each of the deaths will be reviewed, it added. Twenty-six patients due to have surgery will be sent to 10 other units. | Each of the deaths will be reviewed, it added. Twenty-six patients due to have surgery will be sent to 10 other units. |
| Meanwhile, concerns were raised that the few surgeons who perform paediatric cardiac surgery are "spread too thin". | Meanwhile, concerns were raised that the few surgeons who perform paediatric cardiac surgery are "spread too thin". |
| A hospital spokeswoman said the male surgeon, who is not being named, was "recently" appointed to the trust "before Christmas". | |
| But she stressed that there was no suggestion that the surgeon had made errors during the operations. | |
| The trust said that paediatric heart surgery was carried out by two surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital who, between them, carried out about 100 operations a year. | |
| Leslie Hamilton, president of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery, said: "There are 25 to 30 surgeons involved in the whole country. | Leslie Hamilton, president of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery, said: "There are 25 to 30 surgeons involved in the whole country. |
| "We feel they are spread too thinly across those (cardiac) units." | "We feel they are spread too thinly across those (cardiac) units." |
| 'Right questions' | 'Right questions' |
| Independent health regulator The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said it was not investigating the John Radcliffe, but would monitor the trust's own review. | Independent health regulator The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said it was not investigating the John Radcliffe, but would monitor the trust's own review. |
| The hospital said the patients involved all had congenital heart problems, a general term for birth defects that affect the heart. | The hospital said the patients involved all had congenital heart problems, a general term for birth defects that affect the heart. |
| Other cardiology procedures at the hospital will continue as usual. | Other cardiology procedures at the hospital will continue as usual. |
| MONITORING SURGERY Fergus Walsh, Medical Correspondent | MONITORING SURGERY Fergus Walsh, Medical Correspondent |
| Since the Bristol heart scandal more than a decade ago the monitoring of all cardiac surgery has been stepped up. | Since the Bristol heart scandal more than a decade ago the monitoring of all cardiac surgery has been stepped up. |
| Any unexplained series of deaths should automatically trigger an investigation which will be both internal (at Trust level) and external. | Any unexplained series of deaths should automatically trigger an investigation which will be both internal (at Trust level) and external. |
| Survival rates for heart surgery units and individual surgeons are published and can be compared. | Survival rates for heart surgery units and individual surgeons are published and can be compared. |
| It is not possible to say how long the inquiry will take at Oxford, but it maybe some weeks. The investigation will examine all aspects of care involving the four children who died, rather than limiting itself to the surgery. | It is not possible to say how long the inquiry will take at Oxford, but it maybe some weeks. The investigation will examine all aspects of care involving the four children who died, rather than limiting itself to the surgery. |
| The Care Quality Commission, which regulates healthcare, said it would monitor the situation "extremely closely". | The Care Quality Commission, which regulates healthcare, said it would monitor the situation "extremely closely". |
| In a statement, the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have temporarily suspended the paediatric cardiac surgery service while we investigate concerns that have been raised. | In a statement, the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have temporarily suspended the paediatric cardiac surgery service while we investigate concerns that have been raised. |
| "Our investigations are likely to include an external review of the deaths of some very sick children [four children] who underwent surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in the last three to four months." | "Our investigations are likely to include an external review of the deaths of some very sick children [four children] who underwent surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in the last three to four months." |
| Elaine Strachan-Hall, John Radcliffe's director of nursing, told BBC News: "Many children who are born with heart conditions do have a high mortality [rate]. | Elaine Strachan-Hall, John Radcliffe's director of nursing, told BBC News: "Many children who are born with heart conditions do have a high mortality [rate]. |
| "We have had four deaths, we wanted to take the decision very quickly to pause our surgery to look back at those deaths and look at anything around those that might help anyone for the future. | "We have had four deaths, we wanted to take the decision very quickly to pause our surgery to look back at those deaths and look at anything around those that might help anyone for the future. |
| "It could absolutely be coincidence, it could be absolutely nothing and just that these were very sick children. | "It could absolutely be coincidence, it could be absolutely nothing and just that these were very sick children. |
| "We don't know that anything has gone wrong. We want to make sure that we make our surgery as safe as possible." | "We don't know that anything has gone wrong. We want to make sure that we make our surgery as safe as possible." |
| It is not known how long the investigation will take. | It is not known how long the investigation will take. |
| Health report due | Health report due |
| Ms Strachan-Hall added: "It is important we look at every area [including surgeons and operating theatres] and ask the right questions to see if there is, indeed, a causal link." | Ms Strachan-Hall added: "It is important we look at every area [including surgeons and operating theatres] and ask the right questions to see if there is, indeed, a causal link." |
| Meanwhile, Mr Hamilton went on to say a review is currently under way to determine whether or not to pool the resources of children's heart surgery units. | Meanwhile, Mr Hamilton went on to say a review is currently under way to determine whether or not to pool the resources of children's heart surgery units. |
| The NHS National Commissioning Group report into the matter is due to be published later this year. | The NHS National Commissioning Group report into the matter is due to be published later this year. |
| Mr Hamilton welcomed the John Radcliffe's investigation. | Mr Hamilton welcomed the John Radcliffe's investigation. |
| "They need to determine if this is a statistical run [of deaths occurring together] or if this is a question of quality of care," he said. | "They need to determine if this is a statistical run [of deaths occurring together] or if this is a question of quality of care," he said. |
| In 2007 the hospital was criticised for its death rates among adult heart patients. | In 2007 the hospital was criticised for its death rates among adult heart patients. |
| In 2005 the Healthcare Commission began an inquiry after it emerged the number of patients who died between April 2002 and March 2005 after their first coronary artery bypass graft was more than double the national average. | In 2005 the Healthcare Commission began an inquiry after it emerged the number of patients who died between April 2002 and March 2005 after their first coronary artery bypass graft was more than double the national average. |