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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| NHS Trust suspends child heart surgery | NHS Trust suspends child heart surgery |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Children's congenital heart surgery has been suspended at a Leeds hospital while an internal review is carried out. | Children's congenital heart surgery has been suspended at a Leeds hospital while an internal review is carried out. |
| The chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said outside experts would be drafted in to help review "all aspects" of care. | The chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said outside experts would be drafted in to help review "all aspects" of care. |
| The decision followed a meeting with senior NHS officials and the Care Quality Commission on Thursday. | The decision followed a meeting with senior NHS officials and the Care Quality Commission on Thursday. |
| There are concerns about mortality data at the Trust. | |
| Affected families are being contacted directly by the Trust. | Affected families are being contacted directly by the Trust. |
| Children who would have been treated in Leeds will be sent to other hospitals around England. | |
| Leeds General Infirmary has been at the centre of a long-running row about whether children's heart services should be moved to other units elsewhere in the country. | Leeds General Infirmary has been at the centre of a long-running row about whether children's heart services should be moved to other units elsewhere in the country. |
| The announcement of the suspension of surgery comes less than 24 hours after campaigners from Leeds won a high court battle to keep surgery there. | |
| In a statement, Trust chief executive Maggie Boyle, said: "We have taken the decision to temporarily pause children's congenital cardiac surgery and associated interventions while this review is conducted, a process we would aim to complete in around three weeks. | In a statement, Trust chief executive Maggie Boyle, said: "We have taken the decision to temporarily pause children's congenital cardiac surgery and associated interventions while this review is conducted, a process we would aim to complete in around three weeks. |
| "We apologise to parents and families who will be affected during this time, and can assure them we always put the safety of our patients first. | "We apologise to parents and families who will be affected during this time, and can assure them we always put the safety of our patients first. |
| "It is really important to us that the review is done as speedily and comprehensively as possible which, of course, we hope will show the services in Leeds to be safe. | "It is really important to us that the review is done as speedily and comprehensively as possible which, of course, we hope will show the services in Leeds to be safe. |
| "We are confident in the quality of the care provided by our staff and hope they will bear with us during this difficult time." | "We are confident in the quality of the care provided by our staff and hope they will bear with us during this difficult time." |
| BBC News understands that senior managers from both NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), including the medical director of the NHS Bruce Keogh, arrived at Leeds General Infirmary on Thursday morning and demanded that all children's heart surgery should stop with immediate effect. Contrary to other media reports, adult heart surgery is not affected. | |
| In a statement, Sir Bruce said: "The trust has taken a highly responsible precautionary step. | |
| "Some questions have been raised by the trust's own mortality data and by other information. | |
| "It is important to understand that while this information raises questions, it does not give us answers. | |
| High Court decision | High Court decision |
| A decision to stop children's heart surgery at the Leeds hospital was quashed by a High Court judge on Wednesday. | A decision to stop children's heart surgery at the Leeds hospital was quashed by a High Court judge on Wednesday. |
| Previously, an NHS review said surgery should stop at hospitals in Leeds, Leicester and London to focus care at fewer, larger sites. | Previously, an NHS review said surgery should stop at hospitals in Leeds, Leicester and London to focus care at fewer, larger sites. |
| But earlier this month, the judge ruled the consultation process which led to the decision was unfair and legally flawed. | But earlier this month, the judge ruled the consultation process which led to the decision was unfair and legally flawed. |
| The NHS review team said they would study the implications of the ruling, and consider grounds for appeal. | The NHS review team said they would study the implications of the ruling, and consider grounds for appeal. |
| Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Pudsey, who has led a cross-party campaign to keep the unit open, questioned the decision to suspend surgery, and why the data to be examined had not been part of the High Court case. | |
| He pointed out that a recent NHS review of heart surgery said that Leeds was safe. | |
| Mr Andrew also questioned why the NHS had taken this action a day after Parliament had closed for the Easter recess. | |
| Shock and mystification | |
| Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Keith Wakefield said: "I am shocked at the timing of today's events following the High Court decision yesterday and the major transformational changes taking place in the NHS from Monday. | |
| "Many people will be deeply sceptical about these developments and the question has to be asked why the National Commissioning Board and the Care Quality Commission have raised these issues at this time." | |
| Sharon Cheng, from Save Our Surgery - the group which is co-ordinating the fight to keep children's heart surgery in Leeds - said: "We're mystified. | |
| "We don't know of anything that could justify this step." | |
| In a statement, the CQC said: "We support the Trust's decision to carry out a review of their children's heart surgery unit and to put existing activity on hold pending the outcome of the review. | |
| "We are in close contact with the trust to ensure effective arrangements are in place to protect the safety and welfare of patients during the period of of the review. | |
| "We are monitoring the situation extremely closely and will not hesitate to take regulatory action if we believe this is required." |