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Child heart surgery report to be published Child heart surgery reform suspended
(about 2 hours later)
The results of a review into the decision to stop children's heart surgery at three hospitals in England will be published later. Controversial plans to reform children's heart surgery in England have been suspended as the decision was based on a "flawed analysis", Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced.
The NHS plans to end surgery at Leeds General Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and the Royal Brompton in west London. The NHS had planned to concentrate care in fewer, bigger centres.
But there have been legal challenges and significant public opposition to the plans in the areas affected. There was opposition to ending surgery at Leeds General Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and the Royal Brompton in London.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt ordered a review of the decision in October. Mr Hunt ordered an independent review of the decision.
Repairing the hearts of children born with congenital defects is one of the most complex procedures in the NHS. Repairing the hearts of children born with congenital defects is one of the most complex procedures in the NHS. About 3,700 such procedures take place each year.
Ten hospitals currently perform the delicate surgery required, but the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts ruled expertise was spread too thinly. Ten hospitals currently perform the delicate surgery required, but last year "Safe & Sustainable review" performed by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts ruled expertise was spread too thinly.
It said surgery should be concentrated in seven specialist centres by 2014 in order to improve safety. They were:It said surgery should be concentrated in seven specialist centres by 2014 in order to improve safety. They were:
The review is expected to be critical of the process used to select which hospitals would continue providing surgery. Mr Hunt asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP), an advisory body, to assess the decision.
Legal battles He told the Commons: "The IRP report also concludes that the outcome of the Safe & Sustainable review was based on a flawed analysis of the impact of incomplete proposals, and leaves too many questions about sustainability and implementation.
Campaigners have been concerned at a loss of local services. Some families in the north of England could have to travel to either Newcastle or Liverpool if the Leeds unit is lost. "This is clearly a serious criticism of the Safe & Sustainable process. I therefore accept their recommendation that the proposals cannot go ahead in their current form and am suspending the review today."
Legal challenges were also brought. The Royal Brompton lost its challenge against removing child heart surgery from the site. He said the consultation did not have the confidence of the public with some feeling the decision was predetermined.
Meanwhile, a High Court judge quashed the decision to stop surgery in Leeds. Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said aspects of the Leeds consultations were flawed and "ill judged". He said choosing which hospitals provided surgery was one of the most flawed areas of the review, but he said "we need to get on with this" as the original argument for improving care was unchanged.
Amid the tension around concentrating services in fewer hospitals, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP), an advisory body, to assess the decision. The IRP's report said: "The Panel's advice addresses the weaknesses in the original proposals, but it is not a mandate for either the status quo or going back over all the ground in the last five years.
At the time, Lord Ribeiro, the chairman of the IRP, said: "The panel's key focus throughout the review will be children with congenital heart disease and the quality of care they need to receive. "There is a case for change that commands wide understand and support, and there are opportunities to create better services for patients.
"During the course of the review we will gather evidence from a range of people and listen to all interested parties to ensure that the recommendations we make are in the best interests of the children - and their families - across England that need to access these services." "The challenge for NHS England is to determine how to move forward as quickly and effectively as possible."
It has reviewed the whole process for picking the seven hospitals. Evidence was gathered from local councils, NHS Trusts, parents, MPs and clinicians at all 10 sites. Mr Hunt set NHS England, which has taken over the responsibilities of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, a deadline of the end of July to come up with the next step in the process.
The findings and the IRP's advice have been passed on to Mr Hunt.
Prof Terence Stephenson, the chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said reforming the system was a "matter of urgency" and "patients have waited too long for improvements to be made".
He added: "We do recognise that national service change on this scale is a complex undertaking and we offer our full support to work with NHS England and other stakeholders going forward to ensure the benefits of whatever long overdue changes to children's heart services are necessary to provide the best possible service for children and their families."