This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-21406898

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
High Court legal bid to save Leeds child heart surgery High Court legal bid to save Leeds child heart surgery
(about 7 hours 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 hearing 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. Philip Havers QC, appearing for SOS, said today that nearly 600,000 people had signed a petition against the Leeds closure.
"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." He told Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, sitting at London's High Court, the consultation process was unfair because the JCPCT denied those consulted the chance to question how the quality of their service was assessed.
Fellow SOS campaigner Lois Brown said: "They've saved my child's life a number of times in emergency situations. Mr Havers said the Kennedy Panel, a group of experts set up to advise the JCPCT, had produced "sub-scores" measuring the quality of service under various criteria.
"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." But the JCPCT chose only to look at the panel's total scores, and "bizarrely" refused to disclose the sub-scores to consultees, although it made them available "almost immediately" after it made its decision on how heart surgery services were to be reconfigured.
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 result of not giving centres any clue how the panel scored various criteria was that centres were "shooting in the dark" when it came to consultation, he said.
The Brompton has lost its own application for judicial review. The JCPCT, having refused to look at the sub-scores itself, was also "assessing in the dark", said Mr Havers.
A review of the JCPCT recommendations by the Independent Review Panel (IRP) will report to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the end of March. The hearing is expected to last two days.