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| Heart expert queries Leeds surgery reopening | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The government's ex-national director for heart disease says he would not want his daughter treated at Leeds General Infirmary's child cardiac unit. | The government's ex-national director for heart disease says he would not want his daughter treated at Leeds General Infirmary's child cardiac unit. |
| Heart operations were suspended when incomplete data suggested the hospital had a mortality rate twice the national average but they resumed this week. | Heart operations were suspended when incomplete data suggested the hospital had a mortality rate twice the national average but they resumed this week. |
| Prof Sir Roger Boyle told the BBC Leeds remains "on the edge of acceptability". | Prof Sir Roger Boyle told the BBC Leeds remains "on the edge of acceptability". |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said it has comparable rates to all other centres and there should be no concern. | Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said it has comparable rates to all other centres and there should be no concern. |
| The children's heart surgery unit was closed for 11 days after NHS England's medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, suspended procedures for what he called a "constellation" of reasons. | The children's heart surgery unit was closed for 11 days after NHS England's medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, suspended procedures for what he called a "constellation" of reasons. |
| These included an apparent higher mortality rate than the national average, concerns raised by families treated at the hospital and reports from two senior surgeons at other units. | These included an apparent higher mortality rate than the national average, concerns raised by families treated at the hospital and reports from two senior surgeons at other units. |
| The mortality data had been leaked by Sir Roger - director of the National Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research, which oversees mortality figures across the NHS - the night before last month's suspension. | The mortality data had been leaked by Sir Roger - director of the National Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research, which oversees mortality figures across the NHS - the night before last month's suspension. |
| A rapid response team was dispatched to Leeds General Infirmary last weekend to assess the immediate safety concerns that triggered the suspension. | A rapid response team was dispatched to Leeds General Infirmary last weekend to assess the immediate safety concerns that triggered the suspension. |
| NHS England said that assurances had been received about the quality of surgery and staffing levels that were sufficient to allow the phased resumption of operations. | NHS England said that assurances had been received about the quality of surgery and staffing levels that were sufficient to allow the phased resumption of operations. |
| Earlier this week, Sir Bruce told the BBC he would now trust his own baby to be treated at the unit. | Earlier this week, Sir Bruce told the BBC he would now trust his own baby to be treated at the unit. |
| However, speaking to BBC Radio 4's The Report, Sir Roger - the Department of Health's former National Director for Heart Disease - said he still would not send his children to Leeds. | However, speaking to BBC Radio 4's The Report, Sir Roger - the Department of Health's former National Director for Heart Disease - said he still would not send his children to Leeds. |
| "I tell you that I have a young daughter, I would go somewhere else. I would go to Newcastle." | |
| When asked whether operations should have remained suspended, Sir Roger said: "It's not my decision. I've not been involved in the inspections. I did my duty to say there is a concern here and that's all I said." | When asked whether operations should have remained suspended, Sir Roger said: "It's not my decision. I've not been involved in the inspections. I did my duty to say there is a concern here and that's all I said." |
| Sir Roger said that despite safety assurances over Leeds General Infirmary, the full analysis of the data called for the children's heart surgery unit to remain under supervision. | Sir Roger said that despite safety assurances over Leeds General Infirmary, the full analysis of the data called for the children's heart surgery unit to remain under supervision. |
| "We find they're just on the edge of what we call an alert. In other words, showing that they were at right on the edge of acceptability." | "We find they're just on the edge of what we call an alert. In other words, showing that they were at right on the edge of acceptability." |
| Figures released by NHS England confirm that Leeds was "very close to the 'alert' threshold." | Figures released by NHS England confirm that Leeds was "very close to the 'alert' threshold." |
| NHS England data highlights that two other children's heart units are also close to this threshold - Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust. | NHS England data highlights that two other children's heart units are also close to this threshold - Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust. |
| The document containing these figures states "these findings do not indicate a safety problem in any centre. However, centres with three-year outcomes approaching the alert threshold may deserve additional scrutiny and monitoring of current performance". | The document containing these figures states "these findings do not indicate a safety problem in any centre. However, centres with three-year outcomes approaching the alert threshold may deserve additional scrutiny and monitoring of current performance". |
| Guy's and St Thomas's did not wish to comment on the findings, but a spokesperson for Alder Hey said that while it was yet to see the numbers "we are pleased to learn that all children's heart units in England, including Alder Hey, are safe". | Guy's and St Thomas's did not wish to comment on the findings, but a spokesperson for Alder Hey said that while it was yet to see the numbers "we are pleased to learn that all children's heart units in England, including Alder Hey, are safe". |
| In response to Sir Roger's comments, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said analysis had shown Leeds to have comparable rates to all other centres. | In response to Sir Roger's comments, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said analysis had shown Leeds to have comparable rates to all other centres. |
| Consultant cardiologist at Leeds General Infirmary, Dr John Thomson, said Sir Roger's assessment was unfair. | Consultant cardiologist at Leeds General Infirmary, Dr John Thomson, said Sir Roger's assessment was unfair. |
| "I haven't had a chance to fully scrutinise these graphs, but in a rough look at the graphs I'm not absolutely sure that they're accurate," he explained. | "I haven't had a chance to fully scrutinise these graphs, but in a rough look at the graphs I'm not absolutely sure that they're accurate," he explained. |
| "We are still going through some of this data. I would say that the wording is unfortunate there." | "We are still going through some of this data. I would say that the wording is unfortunate there." |