12.04.13
Leeds surgery ‘on edge of acceptability’ – former DH heart tsar
Despite child hearty surgery having been given the go-ahead at Leeds General Infirmary, Professor Sir Roger Boyle has stated the unit remains “on the edge of acceptability”.
It was Sir Roger, director of the National Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research, who was National Director for Heart Disease and Stroke at the Department of Health for 11 years, who originally raised concerns about the mortality rate and staffing levels at the hospital. The unit was suspended by NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh for 11 days.
Campaign group Save our Surgery had just won a judicial review against the permanent closure of child heart operations at the hospital, as part of the Safe and Sustainable review.
Following an emergency review, NHS England approved a phased resumption of operations at Leeds, which started this week. Sir Bruce Keogh stated: “I am pleased that we have now been given assurances by independent assessors that the immediate safety concerns, which were bubbling up from a variety of sources, have been addressed and that the unit can recommence surgery.”
But Sir Roger told BBC Radio 4: “I tell you that I have a young daughter, I would go somewhere else. I would go to Newcastle.”
He added: “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.”
Sharon Cheng of Save Our Surgery (SOS) said his comments were “extremely unhelpful” and contradicted assurances from NHS England.
“All relevant parties, including representatives of the Central Cardiac Audit Database, the source of the data, have said that Leeds’ mortality rates are within accepted ranges. Let me be absolutely clear – the Leeds Unit would not be operating if there were any concerns whatsoever about mortality rates or anything else.”
Cheng added that Sir Roger Boyle was “not an impartial party in regards to Leeds and as an adviser to the Safe and Sustainable review, we do question his motives”.
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