Heart unit survey plans are 'a farce' says Bradford MP David Ward (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford East MP David Ward writes to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in battle to save unit
9:04am Tuesday 31st May 2011 in Health News By Ben Barnett
MP David Ward
A Bradford MP has called for a halt in a consultation over plans which could see the region’s children’s heart surgery unit shut.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley will receive a letter from David Ward, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford East, in which he claims there are “serious flaws” in how the consultation is being run.
The unit at Leeds General Infirmary is one of 11 in England which specialises in children’s heart surgery but the number will be reduced following a ‘Safe and Sustainable’ review by the NHS.
Four options have been put forward for a four-month public consultation period. The options create fewer, larger centres but only one sees Leeds’ continue.
Mr Ward, who backed a Parliamentary motion calling on the Government to keep the unit open, said: “There’s a real concern that the options in the consultation are based on reports which contain major factual errors, and that’s why I’m calling for this pause.
“The review has failed to take into account the fact that Bradford has among the highest birth rates in the country and the high rates of congenital heart conditions that we see here.
A petition has attracted more than 35,000 signatures. Visit thepetitionsite.com/6/help-to-save-ward-10-childrens-cardiac-lgi/
- Read the full story in Tuesday's T&A
Comments(5)
Writer
says...
2:48pm Tue 31 May 11
rugger-tyke
says...
4:29pm Tue 31 May 11
Writer wrote:Precisely.
It's an absolute disgrace that such a proposal is eveb being considered. If you have a child with heart trouble the last you want is a long haul to Newcastle or Liverpool. It must be bad enough going to Leeds. You can bet that the twits who are proposing this are being paid many thousands of pounds per year. They should realise that the NHS is nor just about money. On the other hand though NHS has to live within a budget and cuts may need to be made. Start with the idiots who suggested this and when they are sacked you won't notice any difference in service.
Spend millions on 'think tanks, employing fat cats with their own deluded sociological approach, whilst bulldozing the necessities of the working-class.
Up with the partridge
says...
7:00pm Tue 31 May 11
Writer wrote:As I have said many times - it should be closed. There are too many of them to provide safe care. Clinicians need as much experience as possible with these critical cases and you can only do that with fewer, better centres.
It's an absolute disgrace that such a proposal is eveb being considered. If you have a child with heart trouble the last you want is a long haul to Newcastle or Liverpool. It must be bad enough going to Leeds. You can bet that the twits who are proposing this are being paid many thousands of pounds per year. They should realise that the NHS is nor just about money. On the other hand though NHS has to live within a budget and cuts may need to be made. Start with the idiots who suggested this and when they are sacked you won't notice any difference in service.
Steve30d
says...
8:06pm Tue 31 May 11
Up with the partridge wrote:I do have a little difficulty understanding how moving consultants etc to a single centre would mean they gain more experience. Surely if demand remains unchanged they'd get EXACTLY the same hours of experience?
Writer wrote:As I have said many times - it should be closed. There are too many of them to provide safe care. Clinicians need as much experience as possible with these critical cases and you can only do that with fewer, better centres.
It's an absolute disgrace that such a proposal is eveb being considered. If you have a child with heart trouble the last you want is a long haul to Newcastle or Liverpool. It must be bad enough going to Leeds. You can bet that the twits who are proposing this are being paid many thousands of pounds per year. They should realise that the NHS is nor just about money. On the other hand though NHS has to live within a budget and cuts may need to be made. Start with the idiots who suggested this and when they are sacked you won't notice any difference in service.
vikksy says...
9:51am Tue 31 May 11