A grieving mother whose son died after heart surgery is campaigning for the Government to set up an independent support group for patients' relatives.

Margaret MacRae, whose 13-year-old son David died in February at Harefield Hospital, London, will meet Labour MP David Hinchcliffe, chairman of the Government's Health Select Committee next month to push for the group to be formed..

Mrs MacRae, of Heckmondwike, claims she had nowhere to turn for advice and support before her son's surgery or when his condition deteriorated.

David was operated on by one of the country's top heart doctors, Sir Magdi Yacoub, but he never regained consciousness and after suffering massive blood loss surgeons were forced to amputate his right leg.

For two weeks, Mrs MacRae kept a bedside vigil and claims she was never offered support or counselling by medical staff as his condition worsened.

Mrs MacRae, 45, of Hollinbank Lane, said: "All I could do was sit by his bed and pray for a miracle. Patients have no protection when doctors and surgeons close ranks."

Terry Tordoff, a spokesman for Batley and Spen Labour MP Mike Wood, who has helped set up the meeting for Mrs MacRae, said Mr Wood fully backed her.

But Jonathan Street, a spokesman for the Royal Brompton NHS Trust, said although he could not comment on the specific details of the case, the hospital had offered to meet Mrs MacRae to discuss her problems which could have led to counselling.

David, a pupil at St John Fisher RC High in Dewsbury, suffered a heart abnormality which meant the wrong side of his heart pumped blood around his body.

At the age of 11 holes were discovered in his heart and he and his parents were given the option of having an operation to repair the holes or opt for a switch operation in London, for which he had to wait two years.

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