In response to David Holliday (Letters, June 23), no one is arguing against better standards; what we are concerned about is the length of time these critically ill babies spend in the back of an ambulances, who need surgery or a procedure as soon as possible.

These babies do not have the luxury of time; they are critically ill and will die if they do not receive the correct treatment.

Our son was critically ill by the time he arrived at Leeds. We were warned he may not have survived long enough to have the corrective surgery he desperately needed.

We were also warned that due to the extremely low levels of oxygen in his blood he may be brain-damaged. He did not have the benefit of being stabilised. The minute he was born he began to deteriorate.

It scares me to think that he may have had to travel to Newcastle, Manchester or Leicester, not because of the inconvenience to me but because of his condition.

No doubt the proposed changes will increase the clinical outcomes for the majority, but there will be a small percentage, who will not survive the journey to one of the new centres of excellence.

Rob Oliver, Crombie Avenue, York.