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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| High Court legal bid to save Leeds child heart surgery | High Court legal bid to save Leeds child heart surgery |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The High Court is due to hear a legal challenge over plans to end child heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary. | The High Court is due to hear a legal challenge over plans to end child heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary. |
| An official review concluded last July that the hospital should stop operations so that care could be concentrated at fewer, larger sites. | An official review concluded last July that the hospital should stop operations so that care could be concentrated at fewer, larger sites. |
| Children will instead have to travel to Newcastle or Liverpool for surgery. | Children will instead have to travel to Newcastle or Liverpool for surgery. |
| The Save Our Surgery group is seeking a judicial review of the NHS decision. It says the consultation process behind the plan was unfair and legally flawed. | The Save Our Surgery group is seeking a judicial review of the NHS decision. It says the consultation process behind the plan was unfair and legally flawed. |
| The review, by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), ruled that children's heart units at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital and London's Royal Brompton should also stop surgery. | The review, by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), ruled that children's heart units at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital and London's Royal Brompton should also stop surgery. |
| 'Stopped breathing' | 'Stopped breathing' |
| It proposed that surgery would continue at Great Ormond Street in London, Evelina Children's Hospital, also in London, Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Alder Hey in Liverpool and the Royal Children's Hospital in Bristol or Southampton General. | It proposed that surgery would continue at Great Ormond Street in London, Evelina Children's Hospital, also in London, Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Alder Hey in Liverpool and the Royal Children's Hospital in Bristol or Southampton General. |
| The NHS review of children's heart services in England may have been designed to improve care but closing some surgical units was never going to be straightforward. The NHS wants fewer, bigger centres carrying out more operations so that surgeons' skills are kept sharp, but campaigners have proven fiercely protective of local hospitals. | The NHS review of children's heart services in England may have been designed to improve care but closing some surgical units was never going to be straightforward. The NHS wants fewer, bigger centres carrying out more operations so that surgeons' skills are kept sharp, but campaigners have proven fiercely protective of local hospitals. |
| In July last year the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) decided that three hospitals - including the Leeds General Infirmary - should stop children's heart surgery. | In July last year the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) decided that three hospitals - including the Leeds General Infirmary - should stop children's heart surgery. |
| In Leeds it sparked a committed campaign, spearheaded by a charity called Save Our Surgery Ltd, which has led all the way to the High Court. | In Leeds it sparked a committed campaign, spearheaded by a charity called Save Our Surgery Ltd, which has led all the way to the High Court. |
| If successful it could derail the whole review, but the JCPCT say they stand ready to defend their process with confidence. The hearing will last for two days but it will be at least a couple of weeks before we know the result. | If successful it could derail the whole review, but the JCPCT say they stand ready to defend their process with confidence. The hearing will last for two days but it will be at least a couple of weeks before we know the result. |
| As part of the review process, each hospital was visited by a panel of experts and given a score based on its performance. | As part of the review process, each hospital was visited by a panel of experts and given a score based on its performance. |
| The Save Our Surgery (SOS) legal challenge centres on how those scores were worked out and the level of scrutiny they were subjected to. | The Save Our Surgery (SOS) legal challenge centres on how those scores were worked out and the level of scrutiny they were subjected to. |
| Sharon Cheng, from SOS, said: "Taking legal action has always been our last resort option, pursued only after all other appeals to review the decision were rejected by the JCPCT. | Sharon Cheng, from SOS, said: "Taking legal action has always been our last resort option, pursued only after all other appeals to review the decision were rejected by the JCPCT. |
| "At the end of the day, this is about protecting the lives of children and this is why we believe that the challenges to NHS officials should be heard." | "At the end of the day, this is about protecting the lives of children and this is why we believe that the challenges to NHS officials should be heard." |
| Fellow SOS campaigner Lois Brown said: "They've saved my child's life a number of times in emergency situations. | Fellow SOS campaigner Lois Brown said: "They've saved my child's life a number of times in emergency situations. |
| "She's stopped breathing and we've only just got to Leeds in time, so if the change did happen and she was born again it's highly likely she wouldn't be here." | "She's stopped breathing and we've only just got to Leeds in time, so if the change did happen and she was born again it's highly likely she wouldn't be here." |
| The former national clinical director for heart disease and stroke, Sir Roger Boyle, who was one of the experts advising the review, says the NHS made the right decision and that Leeds General Infirmary would continue to play a vital role providing cardiology services to children. | The former national clinical director for heart disease and stroke, Sir Roger Boyle, who was one of the experts advising the review, says the NHS made the right decision and that Leeds General Infirmary would continue to play a vital role providing cardiology services to children. |
| The Brompton has lost its own application for judicial review. | The Brompton has lost its own application for judicial review. |
| A review of the JCPCT recommendations by the Independent Review Panel (IRP) will report to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the end of March. |