East Yorkshire councillors urged to back children's heart unit campaign

The NHS is considering closing the paediatric heart surgery service at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) and transferring it to Newcastle, which would leave families in North and East Yorkshire having to travel further to ensure their children receive vital treatment.

Since a review of the arrangements was launched earlier this year, many parents of York youngsters who have undergone surgery at LGI and medical experts have joined the fight to save it, and members of East Riding of Yorkshire Council will tomorrow be asked to lend their backing.

A motion tabled by Driffield and Rural councillor Barbara Hall, asking for the council to support the retention of the Leeds service, will be debated a full meeting of the authority.

A petition calling for the plans to move it to Newcastle has already been signed by more than half a million people. Coun Hall said: “I have visited the unit myself and seen what a wonderful job is done there, which is why I feel so strongly about this.

“Moving it to Newcastle would affect East Yorkshire and a wide area beyond that. There are 14 million people in the Leeds unit’s catchment area and it provides an excellent service not only for children who need surgery, but also their families. It would be a great loss to this region if it was to move and I believe it makes sense to keep it where it is.”

The future of the heart surgery service has also been the subject of a Parliamentary debate, with parents of children from York who are treated there saying any switch to Newcastle would mean them facing a two-hour journey to get to the unit.

The proposed changes are part of the NHS’ aim of concentrating expertise and equipment in fewer centres around the country, with health bosses saying it would make high-risk surgery safer.

Four options for the service’s future were outlined in a public consultation which has now ended, and a decision is expected to be announced shortly.