05.04.13
Leeds surgery to re-open – mortality data ‘unverified’
The child heart surgery unit at Leeds General Infirmary is set to re-open early next week, following talks with NHS England yesterday.
The accuracy of data highlighting a higher than average death rate has been questioned, and doctors suggest it is not fit to base a decision on.
The suspension of child heart operations occurred last week, just 24 hours after a High Court judged the decision-making process to close the unit as part of the wider Safe & Sustainable review into child heart surgery in England was “legally flawed”.
Maggie Boyle, chief executive of the trust, said: “I am extremely confident that this service is safe and effective and should recommence at the earliest opportunity. I want partner organisations to be as confident in the service as I am.”
Sharon Cheng of Save Our Surgery, said: “Save Our Surgery welcomes the announcement that the various parties involved hope to resume children’s cardiac surgery at the Leeds General Infirmary early next week. The last week’s investigations and discussions have indicated that standards at the unit are safe – we now wait for the final independent assurance so that we can move ahead.
“We are asking that surgery be resumed as early as possible next week so that patients and families, who have been so worried through this suspension period, can be reassured that the unit is operating safely, and that planned treatments will be able to proceed. Many children are reliant on the Leeds unit for urgent or on-going treatment, so the sooner normal service can be resumed, the better.”
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Image c. Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire