SIR – Further to A McNally’s letter Don’t risk young lives (T&A, June 30), it is understandable why he or she believes that retaining the local children’s heart unit in Leeds would be advantageous.
However, a large number of specialist centres means that fewer operations are performed at each. Ergo, some surgeons hardly ever come across some very rare heart conditions. For example, in 2009, the Leeds centre performed just two Truncus Arteriosus operations.
This significantly reduces patient safety owing to surgeons’ lack of practical experience of the procedures involved. Between 2000 and 2008, there were a staggering 76 “excess deaths” across just four specialist children’s heart centres – including Leeds.
By concentrating this type of surgery at fewer centres, young lives will actually be less at risk due to the training, skills, expertise and equipment all being located together at these fewer, safer, centres.
Richard Killip MA (Cantab), Thomas Fyre Drive, London
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