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| Leeds General Infirmary suspends Children's heart surgery | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Children's heart surgery has been suspended with immediate effect at a hospital which is embroiled in a long-running row over the future of paediatric cardiac services in England. | Children's heart surgery has been suspended with immediate effect at a hospital which is embroiled in a long-running row over the future of paediatric cardiac services in England. |
| The decision to stop congenital heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary comes just a day after the High Court quashed plans by the NHS to close its children's unit after ruling the consultation process was flawed. | The decision to stop congenital heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary comes just a day after the High Court quashed plans by the NHS to close its children's unit after ruling the consultation process was flawed. |
| It follows concerns raised about patients' care including allegations the hospital was avoiding referring children for complex and life-saving treatment at another centre in Newcastle. | It follows concerns raised about patients' care including allegations the hospital was avoiding referring children for complex and life-saving treatment at another centre in Newcastle. |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said the temporary measure was being taken to allow an internal review to be conducted following consultation with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). | Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said the temporary measure was being taken to allow an internal review to be conducted following consultation with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). |
| It apologised to the families affected but failed to offer any further details about if and when patients scheduled to have surgery would receive treatment. | It apologised to the families affected but failed to offer any further details about if and when patients scheduled to have surgery would receive treatment. |
| Maggie Boyle, chief executive of the trust, said: "Following discussions earlier today with senior representatives from NHS England and the Care Quality Commission the trust has agreed to carry out an internal review, independently validated and supported by external experts. | Maggie Boyle, chief executive of the trust, said: "Following discussions earlier today with senior representatives from NHS England and the Care Quality Commission the trust has agreed to carry out an internal review, independently validated and supported by external experts. |
| "This will look at all aspects of congenital cardiac surgery for children undertaken at the unit in Leeds. | "This will look at all aspects of congenital cardiac surgery for children undertaken at the unit in Leeds. |
| "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 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. We are confident in the quality of the care provided by our staff and hope they will bear with us during this difficult time." | "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." |
| The children's heart surgery unit at the hospital was earmarked for closure under NHS plans taken last July aimed at streamlining services which would have seen operations being carried out at fewer and more specialised centres. | The children's heart surgery unit at the hospital was earmarked for closure under NHS plans taken last July aimed at streamlining services which would have seen operations being carried out at fewer and more specialised centres. |
| A campaign was launched to stop the site from closing which culminated in a legal battle at the High Court on Wednesday where the plan was quashed after a judge ruled the consultation process had been unfair and legally flawed. | A campaign was launched to stop the site from closing which culminated in a legal battle at the High Court on Wednesday where the plan was quashed after a judge ruled the consultation process had been unfair and legally flawed. |
| Sharon Cheng, a member of Save our Surgery - the group co-ordinating the campaign – expressed her shock at the decision to suspend children's heart surgery at the hospital. "We're mystified. We don't know anything that could justify this step." | Sharon Cheng, a member of Save our Surgery - the group co-ordinating the campaign – expressed her shock at the decision to suspend children's heart surgery at the hospital. "We're mystified. We don't know anything that could justify this step." |
| Earlier this month, the CQC confirmed it had received claims that the hospital had resisted sending patients for treatment at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital – a unit that would remain open under the original NHS restructuring plans. | Earlier this month, the CQC confirmed it had received claims that the hospital had resisted sending patients for treatment at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital – a unit that would remain open under the original NHS restructuring plans. |
| The hospital strongly denied "any suggestion that we would act improperly either by restricting referrals or by failing to carry out surgery where either of these actions was the right thing to do". | The hospital strongly denied "any suggestion that we would act improperly either by restricting referrals or by failing to carry out surgery where either of these actions was the right thing to do". |
| NHS England said the decision to suspend children's heart surgery at the hospital was a "highly responsible precautionary step" while checks were made to ensure the unit was operating safely. | NHS England said the decision to suspend children's heart surgery at the hospital was a "highly responsible precautionary step" while checks were made to ensure the unit was operating safely. |
| Sir Bruce Keogh, the Medical Director of NHS England, said: "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. But it is absolutely right not to take any risks while these matters are being looked into. The priority must be the safety of children." | Sir Bruce Keogh, the Medical Director of NHS England, said: "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. But it is absolutely right not to take any risks while these matters are being looked into. The priority must be the safety of children." |