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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NI children's heart surgery 'should move from Belfast to Dublin' | NI children's heart surgery 'should move from Belfast to Dublin' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Children from Northern Ireland who require heart surgery should receive treatment in the Republic of Ireland as opposed to the current facility in Belfast, it has been recommended. | Children from Northern Ireland who require heart surgery should receive treatment in the Republic of Ireland as opposed to the current facility in Belfast, it has been recommended. |
| The move follows a report that said that, while safe, the service at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is no longer sustainable. | The move follows a report that said that, while safe, the service at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is no longer sustainable. |
| The decision was announced at a public meeting a short time ago. | The decision was announced at a public meeting a short time ago. |
| The report says children who require surgery should now travel to Dublin. | The report says children who require surgery should now travel to Dublin. |
| For the past 12 months parents and members of the Children's Heartbeat Trust have campaigned vigorously for the retention of children's heart surgery in Northern Ireland. | For the past 12 months parents and members of the Children's Heartbeat Trust have campaigned vigorously for the retention of children's heart surgery in Northern Ireland. |
| Last year a national report said that such centres across the United Kingdom must perform a minimum of 400 children's surgical procedures each year. | Last year a national report said that such centres across the United Kingdom must perform a minimum of 400 children's surgical procedures each year. |
| Belfast currently falls short of that number. | Belfast currently falls short of that number. |
| A working group now recommends an all-island service with children who require surgery now expected to travel to Our Lady's Children's hospital in Crumlin, south Dublin instead. | |
| Birmingham had also been cited as an option. | Birmingham had also been cited as an option. |
| Approval of the recommendation by health ministers in Northern Ireland and the Republic is expected to be a formality. | Approval of the recommendation by health ministers in Northern Ireland and the Republic is expected to be a formality. |
| Irish health minister James Reilly told the BBC on Thursday that it was important to himself and the Northern Ireland health minister Edwin Poots that they "improve the outcomes of patients". | |
| "I'm certainly quite happy that we have the capacity here in Crumlin to be able to look after children from the north of Ireland and I'm very pleased to say that in other areas there is a great deal of co-operation as well," he added. | |
| "When it comes to national health issues I think we tend to put politics aside to get a better outcome for our patients. | |
| "We will be looking to facilitate this in every way." |