MPs across the Yorkshire region gathered outside Westminster to add their names to a letter to Safe and Sustainable, the children’s heart surgery review panel, challenging the review process to date and outlining the case to keep the Leeds surgery unit open.

Parliamentarians including Keighley MP Kris Hopkins and Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew were in attendance, along with Sharon Cheng, charity director of the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.

The event followed the delivery of the half-a-million-signature petition to the Prime Minister and a back-bench debate in the House of Commons, led by Stuart Andrew.

The debate resulted in MPs passing a motion for the review panel not to restrict itself to the four options outlined in the review and to consider further options in making its final recommendations.

The NHS Review Panel, Safe and Sustainable, has recommended a reduction in the number of units. It has put forward four options for consultation, with the unit at Leeds General Infirmary, used by Bradford families, featuring in only one option.

The consultation, which will shape the future of children’s congenital heart services, closed last Friday, with nearly 60,000 parents, children and health professionals around the country having had their say on how services should be provided.

Teresa Moss, director of the National Specialised Commissioning Team, said: “No decisions will be made until all the evidence submitted during the consultation has been thoroughly reviewed and analysed.”

The final decision is expected by the end of the year. Implementation of any changes is expected to start in 2013.

  • Read the full story Monday’s T&A