Leeds campaigners’ relief at latest heart surgery ‘milestone’

Leeds General Infirmary. Picture by rossparry.co.uk/ Steven Schofield.

Children’s heart surgery campaigners in Leeds are today breathing a “huge sigh of relief” as their bid to secure the future of the city’s unit took a major step forward after years of uncertainty.

Board members at NHS England have rubber-stamped a new list of national standards that heart units across the country must now meet - many of which are already in place at the Leeds General Infirmary centre.

The move is the culmination of a two-year review, launched at the request of the Secretary of State after a long history of scrutiny into congenital heart disease services, dating back to the 2001 public inquiry into concerns about the care of children receiving complex cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary between 1984 and 1995.

It also comes six years after the Leeds unit was first earmarked for closure and campaigners hope it now spells the end of what has been years of uncertainty.

Campaigner Sharon Cheng, chief executive of Leeds Children's Heart Surgery Fund.

Sharon Coyle, chief executive of Leeds Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, said: “This is very positive for Leeds. It is a good step forward for the service. Leeds Teaching Hospitals tick a lot of the boxes and the team are feeling very positive.

“It’s been a stressful few years for families and patients and an uncertain time. But we just hope the uncertainty is coming to an end and patients can at least breathe a sigh of relief knowing that care is happening near to their doorstep.”

Among the national standards proposed are for cardiac surgeons to work in teams of at least four, each performing over 125 operations each year. The review warns not all units meet that level but in Leeds last year, figures show its team of three surgeons performed 498 operations.