13
Jul 2016
Heart surgery ordered to stop at three major hospitals following concerns over standards
NHS England has ordered three major heart units, in Manchester, London and Leicester, to stop providing complex surgery on patients with congenital heart problems by April 2017.
Last year the body set up a list of minimum standards to be met by hospitals to ensure patients received high quality care, including surgeons working in teams of four and ensuring they see a minimum of 125 patients each year in order to keep their skills up to date.
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust in London have not met the minimum standards and have been ordered to close their services.
This means that the number of complex heart surgery units will drop from 13 to 11 nationwide.
NHS England say that although some patients would have to travel further than previously, this decision meant that patient care would be safer in the long-term.
Dr Jonathan Fielden of NHS England said “There has been a great deal of uncertainty over the future of congenital heart disease services. We owe it to patients, families and staff to end that uncertainty and provide a clear direction.”
Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said that centralising services was the right move. He went on to say “It is absolutely critical that children and adults with congenital heart disease and their families receive safe and effective care, wherever they live.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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